


Plot Bunnies

by elvirakitties



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bad Ideas, Good Ideas, I am not sure if I will add more to them or not, M/M, Plot Bunnies - Freeform, Pre-Slash, Slash, What Was I Thinking?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-13
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2018-09-24 02:02:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 73
Words: 93,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9694889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elvirakitties/pseuds/elvirakitties
Summary: This is where I am hoping to post my ideas to get them out of my head so that I can continue with other stories.WARN: There will be slash, pairing is Harry with any of the following three: Severus, Lucius or Voldemort (Tom) or a combo the four.





	1. Chapter 1

"Oh, not again. There is no way I am reliving this crappy life." A drunk Godric Gryffindor landed in the middle of a Death Eater meeting. He swayed a bit. "This is your fault, Sal." He pointed at Harry. "You messed with another timeline, didn't you? You can't leave them alone, bloody snakes. Always thinking."

"My fault?" Harry asked as he looked at Tom. Severus muttered something about naturally.

"Yes, you. Storming off in the middle of our fight." Godric looked around. "Where am I? This isn't Slytherin Castle or Hogwarts. It looks like it's that bloody idiot Prince's Manor."

"I beg your pardon. This is my home." Lucius commented. He stood ramrod straight and clearly wasn't happy about someone mentioning his long ago uncle who married his long ago aunt. 

"So a Malfoy finally bagged a Prince?" He looked at Severus. "Please tell me you are a smart Prince and you didn't marry that just walking ad for giving blonds a bad name? Now, Sal, since when do you and my son get along?" He pointed to Tom.

"What?" Tom and Harry asked. They were very confused. 

Severus pulled out his potion bag. "It's a sobering potion." He handed the potion to Godric.

"Figures, Princes always have potions." Godric took the potion, drank it and everyone waited to see what he would say next. "Son, are you going to explain?" He walked over to Harry. "Don't make me call Helga." He threatened.

"What do you remember last Mr. Gryffindor?" Tom asked.

"Why are you calling me Mr. Gryffindor, you usual call me Papa unless I annoyed ya, well, we won't get to those names. You and I are Gryffindors."

"Is he confounded?" Harry asked Severus.

"I believe, Master, that he is actually who he says he is." Severus responded.

"Great, who was messing with the timelines, for Merlin's sake I just finally got this one fixed from the mess that Dumbledore created." Harry growled. "Do you know how long I worked on that? Well, someone had better answer me."

Draco and the rest of the Death Eater presented tried to become smaller as they certainly didn't want Harry, the Master of Death, upset with them. "Well, these ones certainly aren't Gryffindors. Bunch of your lot, aren't they, Sal?" Godric asked Harry. "So, Thome, why am I here?" He turned and faced Tom.

"I believe we are trying to work out exactly what happened. It appears Mr. Gryffindor that have traveled to the future." Tom answered. Most of the people in the room were aware of what was happening, after all, they had been in on fixing everything.

"I believe I can provide some insight." A new voice stated as she stepped out of the portrait over the mantle.

"What did you do?" Harry glared at the woman. "Why did you bring one of the founders here?"

"Simple, to prove a point." She stated. "Now, I am sure many are confused."

"Understatement." Severus muttered, but loud enough for those near him heard. He received a look from Harry. He returned a raised eyebrow that clearly said, "you were thinking it."

"Who are you?" Tom had his wand out, a lot of strangers were in their hidden home and he wasn't happy about it.

"That is Row, sticking her busy-body nose into other people's business." Godric stated. "We can't even have a good fight without her interference."

"I am confused." Draco muttered to his mother.

"It's really simple, Godric got into a fight in the pub, after Salazar had cast a transference spell. Godric wasn't aware of the spell, and when the fighting broke out, he got hit with a few more."

"DEATH!!!" Harry screamed. 

"Master?" Death answered. He saw Godric. "There you are. I have been looking for you. I went to collect him and he disappeared on me. I did collect the rest in the pub." He faced Harry. "I haven't even had time to write up the report before you called me, Master."

"So you have no idea why he is here?" Harry asked.

"None. I was going to ask Fate, Time and Destiny but it's a Friday night and you know what those three ladies are like if you interrupt their date night." Death said.

Harry shuddered at the idea of interrupting date night. He looked at Tom and Severus who were clearly in agreement. 

"I can explain." Rowena Ravenclaw spoke, reminding them she was there. When everyone waited. "Oh, yes, sorry. It's simple. He is here to show that Dumbledore and the few others had it wrong. That Godric and Sal were actually best friends. The fighting didn't start until Sal's grandson wanted to marry one of Godric's granddaughters."

"No one in our families would have objected to that." Godric stated. "We wanted our children to marry."

"They agreed. However, Mercate Dumbledore didn't and he kidnapped and married Sophate Gryffindor, while Mandate Dumbledore got Harish Slytherin arrested that night for murder. Before anyone knew it, Harish was killed by some Dementors."

"Great, just great. Dumbledores are always messing things up. We just fixed the mess Albus Dumbledore made in this timeline. So now we have to fix history. Well, I know just how to do that." Harry responded.

"Harry, I really don't want to travel back to a time where they didn't have indoor plumbing." Tom pleaded.

"Oh, neither do I. Scratch that idea." Harry responded.

"I say we wipe out the whole Dumbledore line before it even comes into existence." Lucius quietly told Narcissa.

Harry heard him and grinned. He bounced up and down on his feet. "That is what we're going to do. We are going to go back to the first one and make sure he can't reproduce."

"Master, that would wipe out a lot of others." Death reminded him.

"How about just the troublesome ones?" Severus asked.

"Can you work with that Death?" Harry asked.

"I can." Death responded. 

"Are we in agreement?" Harry asked. He looked at Rowena and Godric. 

"I am fine with it. Annoyance the whole lot of them." Godric stated.

"It does answer a lot of problems." Rowena agreed.

"Death, go and take of it. Find out from Fate, Destiny and Time which ones you can take. I don't want to listen to those for the next Century if we took a wrong one." Harry answered. 

"It will be done by tomorrow night." Death answered. He liked this idea and maybe if he got lucky, Time would finally go out with him on their next date night.


	2. Another one

Harry walked into the Headmaster's office. Severus quickly knelt his head to the floor. Harry took the indicated seat. "Professor Dumbledore, why is Snape kneeling?"

"Professor Snape, Harry. It seems we have a problem." Dumbledore stated.

"A problem, sir?" Harry asked, still watching Snape.

"Yes, it appears that Voldemort has cast an enslavement spell and given Professor Snape to you as a gift."

"What?" Harry responded.

"Yes. This letter was handed to me by Professor Snape." He held out a sealed letter.

Harry took the letter. He looked back down at Snape. "Is it safe to open?"

"Yes, I checked it." Harry slowly opened the letter.

> Dear Lord Potter-Black:
> 
> I am making an offer of peace. I will gladly meet with you any time you desire and a place of your choosing. My owl is awaiting your answer.
> 
> The conditions to meet with you are simple. I refuse to allow Albus Dumbledore to attend. So I would recommend you bring your Account Manager from Gringotts and any barristers he might suggest. I would like to work out a peace agreement between our families.
> 
> Severus Snape is now your property. He is my gift to show I am sincere in what I mean. Once you accept my gift, his mark will change to reflect the change of ownership. If you reject this gift, he will return to me, and I will have to find him a new owner. 
> 
> There is more information for you at Gringotts, I would suggest a visit. The visit actually has nothing to do with me, but a lot to do with your titles you haven't been using. 
> 
> Lord Voldemort

Harry closed the letter, put it in his robe pocket. "He wants to work out a peace agreement. I am to go to Gringotts and speak to my account manager about attending a peace agreement."

"I can handle all of that Harry. Just let me know the time and place and I will meet with Voldemort." Dumbledore smiled at him.

"No, I will follow the letter. I want peace and I don't want him to find any excuse for us not to have a peace agreement." Harry answered. "I need to accept his gift or Snape will be returned back to him. I don't want him to go back."

"Place your hand on Professor Snape's head, and tell him you accept." Dumbledore instructed. "I will get the Order together and we will discuss how to handle this situation." He pointed to the huge eagle owl perched by Fawkes. "He arrived earlier. He is waiting for an answer."

Harry obeyed, and Severus lifted his head. "Thank you, Master." Severus remained on his knees. Severus touched his left arm, where the dark mark had been. 

"Can you sit in a chair?"

"Yes, Master." Severus stood up and sat down in the chair next to Harry.

"I will get the Order together and we will discuss how to handle this situation." He pointed, again, to the huge eagle owl perched by Fawkes. "He is waiting for an answer?"

"Yes, I need to provide a time and place." Harry answered. "When can I go to Gringotts?"

"I am sure we can arrange-" Dumbledore started to say.

"I can take you later today, Master." Severus answered. "I need to get my vault in your name."

"Yes, Professor Snape will be able to do that. Why don't you two speak in his quarters? We can discuss what to do after the Order meeting tonight."

Harry and Severus remained silent as they walked towards Severus' quarters. Once there, Severus cast his warding and privacy spells. Once he was finished, Harry sat down. "What is going on?"

"Master. If you give me a few minutes I can explain everything." Severus replied.

"OK, but it's very confusing." Harry answered. 

Severus walked to the fireplace, cast another set of wards and tossed in some floo powder. Harry couldn't hear what he said but saw Lucius Malfoy appear, and a few seconds later stepped out. "Harry, we didn't have a way to alert you."

Harry closed his eyes, he knew a headache was going to be incoming. 

"Dumbledore found a way to spy on us that we weren't expecting." Lucius sighed as he saw Severus kneel by Harry. Harry caressed Severus' hair. "He sent Ron Weasley to us."

"What?" Harry was a bit surprised, he certainly wasn't expecting that.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley got in touch with Draco and wanted to speak to my Lord." Lucius answered. "Draco thought he was joking and ignored the request but last night Mr. Weasley was brought to a meeting by Vincent and Greg."

"I am glad I didn't attend." Harry couldn't attend last night's meeting because he had been in one of Dumbledore's lessons on the life of Tom Riddle.

"Mr. Weasley suggested he could spy on you. He made mention of how much you hated Severus. He kindly informed my Lord, that Severus is a spy for Dumbledore."

Harry groaned. How did Dumbledore expect the biggest anti-Slytherin to be a spy he had no idea. "So he did it in front of everyone, and of course, by providing that type of information he believed he would gain entrance into the Inner Circle." 

"Exactly."

"The slavery spell?" Harry asked. 

"Was Mr. Weasley's idea. We believe that it is a way for Dumbledore to make sure that Mr. Weasley would be in good standing, and deal with Severus at the same time. My Lord also believed that it was a way to ensure you wouldn't care for the dark, as they enslave people. Mr. Weasley seemed joyous when he watched the spell being cast."

"Severus?"

"Dumbledore has been questioning my information, Master. I wasn't aware of this plan." Severus answered.

"We need to do something. I can't keep playing the idiot especially if he is using Ron Weasley of all people as a spy." Harry answered.

"It gets worse." Lucius answered. "Mr. Weasley suggested he has several friends who are interested in joining. When my Lord and Severus used "Legilimency" on him, he is planning on bringing his sister and Ms. Granger to the next meeting. Mr. Weasley suggested they could arrange for them to deliver you to him."

"Interesting. He also didn't want me to go to Gringotts."

"He won't, he knows you can be emancipated and take your titles. Including Lord Prince." 

"We are going to go in a few minutes. Dumbledore wanted tomorrow, and has an Order meeting scheduled for tonight on how to handle this peace agreement." 

"Do you wish me to accompany you?" Lucius asked.

"Yes, for I have a bad feeling about all of this." 

"So do I, Master." Severus stated. 

 

 


	3. Villain Starter Kit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moved to the main area, under Villain Starter Kit-

Voldemort looked at the package the white owl had dropped on his head and decided to find a perch on the mantel. The package had bounced off of his head, his shoulder, the arm of the chair, landing on the floor. After casting a lot of detection spells at the package, he had placed it on his desk. He slowly opened it and found a kitten staring up at him. The kitten was solid black with yellow eyes. There was a note attached.

> Dear Voldie:
> 
> I know it's a little late, but since I didn't know your birthdate until two weeks ago and then I had to find the perfect Villian Starter Kit accessory. After all it has to be done correctly.
> 
> Now, since I wasn't sure what you had already I decided to gift you with the complete kit.
> 
> 1-Kitten-check
> 
> 2-Lair
> 
> Now, you will also find a deed to some land. I have enclosed the address for you. It's under a Fidelus Charm and as you can see the address is written in Parseltongue. I'm your lovely secret keeper.
> 
> 3-Minions
> 
> You really need some new ones, the ones you have are idiots with the exception of a few like Lucy and Sevvie. 
> 
> 4-Cool toys
> 
> The twins are master minds at creating some wonderful things. You will find a small sample enclosed.

Voldemort noticed there was a pouch by the now purring kitten. He picked up the pouch and found a variety of potion phials. Each had a small description on what they did written on the tag.

> 5-Now, this is optional, but a lot of villians have scars, no idea why, but they do. So Hedwig, my owl, should have dropped another package for you.

Voldemort didn't see another package. "Well?"

Hedwig hooted at him and using her foot pointed to the left of his desk. He peeked over the side of his desk and saw another package. After casting several spells he slowly opened it and found muggle makeup and an instruction book on how to make scars. He picked up the book and saw cell phone under book. He opened it and Harry's name and number programmed into the phone.

> 6-Flunkie
> 
> You have Pettigrew for that, so figured unless you want a different one, you were set on that. 
> 
> 7-Information
> 
> Call me.

Voldemort put the phone down and got an angry hoot from Hedwig. "You aren't going to leave until I call?" Hedwig bobbed her head up and down. He called Harry Potter.

 

 

 


	4. Vlad's Child

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> moved to main area, called Vlad's Child now

Harry sighed, well, Vernon filled both of their wishes. Vernon had beaten Harry so badly that Harry was laying on his bedroom floor, bleeding to death. Harry opened his eyes, seeing Hedwig on the windowsill. "Go, pick either Hermione or Ron. Just stay safe." He closed his eyes, ignoring the loud bang downstairs, he barely heard the door to his room being blown off the hinges. 

"Sweet Merlin." Severus was shocked, When he was dragged here, he thought it was because Potter was throwing a temper tantrum, not getting his way or something. They had been having an Order meeting, some alarms had started going off. Dumbledore ordered Moody, Kingsley, Tonks and him to follow him to Privat Dr. They arrived to find another group of Aurors blowing the front door off.

"What did you do to him?" Severus asked.

"Nothing that he didn't deserve, the ungrateful brat." The fat muggle snarled. 

Severus looked at Dumbledore as did the rest of the group. They all knew this wasn't the first time the muggle had beaten the boy. He could tell by the smells in the room it was a normal practice of the man.

"I warned you. I told you I needed him alive." Dumbledore was saying to a huge fat man. He couldn't let his plans go down the drain. He needed the boy for the prophecy and his money.

"I didn't want the freak here in the first place. We have told you that again and again, yet you keep sending the freak back." 

"Is he alive?" Dumbledore asked. No one had moved into the room. The Aurors had summoned a Healer, but they knew it was too late. 

"No." The muggle grinned. "I warned you."

"Barely." Severus answered. He could hear the labored breaths, the gurgling of Potter's blood, the rasping of air as it flowed out of Potter's mouth. The pool of blood was surrounding the boy.

"Turn him, Severus." Dumbledore ordered. "It's too early. He wasn't ready." Dumbledore quietly said to himself, but Severus heard him. 

Severus knew the boy didn't have much longer to live, but he didn't think anyone deserved to be turned. Yes, there were turned vampires, but they were rare. Creature Inheritance vampires were the ones that ruled. He was a turned vampire, with no sire, no clan, no coven, and no family to protect him.

"Get him out of here." Moody snapped to some of the Aurors gathered in the hall. He watched three of them remove Vernon from the scene. They had to put a Silencio on him. The woman and the boy were already on their way to the Ministry. Moody and the other watchers had warned Dumbledore about the possibility of abuse, but he kept denying it.

"I am not turning Potter." Severus said.

"No." Harry muttered, but it was clear.

"Do it, Severus. You know he is the key." Dumbledore ordered. He couldn't have his weapon dying. He began to think of ways to cover it up, but he knew it would be impossible has he had heard the sounds of apparitions. 

"What? Potter?" He didn't know the whole prophecy but he knew enough to know Potter played a part in it. 

"Yes, now turn him." Dumbledore glared. 

Moody walked into the room. "Albus, you can't. It's not right."

"If we don't, Voldemort wins." Dumbledore warned. "Now do it." 

"NO!" Harry tried to yell, he coughed up some blood, his body was wracked with pain. "No." He stated again.

"Do it, now." Dumbledore demeaned. 

Severus walked into the room, trying to find a spot not covered with blood. He heard Moody casting strong cleaning spells. He pulled Potter into his arms. "It won't hurt."

"No." Harry opened his eyes. He spoke the last words he would say as a human. "You will regret doing this."

_____________________________________________________________

Harry slowly opened his eyes. He was at Hogwarts. He wasn't in the Infirmary nor Gryffindor Tower. He looked around. Severus was sleeping next to the bed. He growled. He wasn't happy. 

Hearing the growling Severus opened his eyes. "I see you're awake."

"Why did you do it? I told you no. I clearly said it. You broke the rules of turning. I ought to rip your heart out and feed it to you. How dare you!" He was still feeling a bit weak. He knew he had to have slept for at least a week.

"I had no choice. If I didn't, and you died, he would have used your death to have me destroyed and gotten everyone to believe all vampires needed to be killed." Severus answered. In truth, the only reason he was still alive was because Dumbledore counted on him to spy. He knew he had not true value to the man, and Dumbledore would rather see him destroyed as soon as possible. 

"You gave him what he wanted." Harry snapped. He knew what Severus said was the truth. Dumbledore would do exactly that but didn't mean he was any happier about it. "I am going to enjoy ripping his head off of his shoulders." He needed to revamp his plans now. He wasn't sure if this turning would give him freedom or not. He expected Dumbledore was going to try and force him to register as a dark creature since all turned vampires were required to. He wasn't a turned vampire, so how was Dumbledore going to work this angle? He wasn't sure how Dumbledore was going be able to hide his true status, too many people were at his relatives' house.

Severus was very confused. "Please, Gryffindor's Golden Boy? You wouldn't even remove the fly off of his shoulders." He knew Dumbledore wasn't honest and believed in a lot of ways the Dark Lord was a better ruler if he wasn't insane. He would prefer a sane Dark Lord over Dumbledore. Most of the dark side wanted a sane Dark Lord, they had been waiting for centuries for one.

"For someone who prides himself on being smart, you have incredible blinders on." Harry looked right at him. "You want to know why he wanted you to turn me, it's because I am a vampire. He was counting on you turning me. I was already going through the change when you decided to drain me. He certainly wasn't expecting my uncle to kill me, I know that much. We need to figure out how this is going to work. What will his next move be? How you biting me and giving your blood will affect me? I know you didn't drain me because I didn't have much blood left, but I did take some of your blood."

"The Potters don't have any creature blood in them, and your mother was a muggle-born." If Potter wasn't a turned vampire, Severus thought he might be able to use it to get away from Dumbledore. He was going to have to play the Sire card and gain some control of the situation. If he was a creature vampire, it might work with the boy's saving people thing.

"Wrong, those were my blood adopted parents, so was Sirius. It was something Dumbledore didn't want me to find out. Sirius and Remus let me know the truth last year before Sirius died. I am the son of his brother Regulus and Prince Vlad." Harry watched Severus process what he said. "I can explain later how that happened."

'They are going to kill me. I hurt their child.' Severus thought. He knew Prince Vlad wasn't a kind man. He had spent the last sixteen years looking for his child and Severus hurt him. He had heard the rumors of what the man had done to others, he wasn't called Vlad the Impaler because of his fangs. 

"Relax, you didn't know. This just changes my plans." Harry smelled the fear that emitted off of Severus when he realized what he meant by Prince Vlad. Harry liked how people reacted to that. 

"Why didn't you leave and return to them?" Severus asked. "Why stay with those muggles?" He would have thought they would have come storming in to claim their child.

"I wasn't given a choice. He would either use potion or spells and make me return there. The first few years I didn't know any better, for my third he said he would kill Sirius and Remus."

"The reason why Sirius and Remus remained at Headquarters."

"Yes. Now, with Sirius being dead, he has been using Remus, until Remus was able to escape last year. So last summer and this one, he used potions. Dumbledore sealed the Potters Wills, Sirius being wanted by the Ministry, and Remus being a werewolf, we knew we couldn't go to the Ministry and say I am Prince Vlad's child. No one would take our word against his. Dumbledore blocked a bill that would allow all entering first years to be tested for a match." Harry leaned back against the headboard. "I am wondering what he is going to try now."

"He wants to bring you to the Ministry, get you registered as a dark creature. He most likely will try to do it when you are summoned for the trial of your relatives. I told him as my Childe, I am responsible for you and that I needed to be near you because of the bond." He knew Dumbledore was manipulative but he really didn't think he was that far gone. He understood that in times of war, you had to do things you may not like or enjoy but Dumbledore took things to far.

"Do you think he believed you?" Harry began to form an idea.

"Yes, if he didn't and believed you knew what you were. He would have brought in some types of collars or cuffs, maybe even restrained you until he could find a spell or two to work. He seemed fine when I mentioned said I was your Sire. I have seen him do it before. When I was first turned he had me restrained for almost a year until I signed a contract that I would work for him and be his spy. I can't turn or feed off of any students."

"Is that why you always look so gaunt?" Harry asked.

"Yes."

"Why didn't you go and feed off of the adults in Hogsmeade or get a donor from the staff?" Harry asked.

"None of the staff would donate. They all found excuses when they first learned." Severus answered. "The ones who did donate didn't last long, as Dumbledore would make their lives difficult. He is expecting you to follow the same rules."

Harry smirked. "I believe it's time he met Daddy."

"How?" Severus wasn't sure how they were going to be able to get in touch with the Prince, Dumbledore would have their floo and mail being watched.

"Kreacher, he has always belonged to my Papa, Regulus. I think they are going to be very interested in attending the trial."

Severus felt elated, something he hadn't felt in a long time. Dumbledore was finally going to get what was coming to him.


	5. Bingo Hogwarts Style

Severus was walking extremely fast, fine he was running, towards Grimmauld Place. He threw open the door, glared at Lady Black as she started screaming, she stopped after two words. "Mutt, Wolf get down here now. It's an emergency."

"Is Harry hurt?" Sirius' panicked voice echoed down the stairwell. He had been upstairs cleaning the place. They had decided to finally clean up and get the place in order.

"No, you flea-ridden mongrel, it's worse. Now get down here." Severus snapped. "I will put the tea kettle on. You have three minutes or I am going to put a hex your bits off."

"What is going on Severus?" Remus asked. He was carrying his own mug in his left hand and had a book tucked under his left arm. He had been in the library, like usual.

"Dumbledore's last scheme. We need to stop it." 

"What has he done now? It's only been a week since Voldie was killed, he can't have something planned already?" Sirius asked. He took a mug down and tested it before pouring some coffee. He didn't want to test the tea. 

"He wants Harry to marry Ms. Weasley. He had Minerva and me in his office for signing a contract. Minerva refused before I could. He is going to try and get you to sign off on it as a witness since it has to be a legal guardian since Minerva declined."

"He can't do that. I am Harry's magical guardian." Sirius slammed the mug down, cracking the mug.

"He can since Harry is still in school, he can as the Headmaster, in lure of Harry not having any parents." Remus explained. "However, we can get around that."

Severus smirked. "Yes, we can. It's time to plan."

_________________________________________________________________________________________

A week later:

Severus opened the doors to the Great Hall as Sirius made an elaborate entrance, followed by Harry and Remus. "I am telling if we put a fireplace in here it will warm the room greatly." Sirius was wearing flamingo pink robes with a darker pink trim. His hair was purple with pink highlights. He was waving a paisley scarf. "We can put it in the center, with the candlelight, and the night sky, it will make a perfect romantic room."

"We will need to do something to the floor. Stone will take away the effect." Harry pulled out a pouch. "Maybe that bamboo flooring you mentioned?" Harry was dressed in black Levi jeans, black dragon hide boots, a deep emerald green silk shirt, his glasses were missing and his hair was longer and tied back with a matching green tie.

"A rug would work." Remus was dressed in a deep blue robe, over black trousers and white shirt. The robes screamed money.

"We need to take the measurements first. We could always create smaller round tables for people to eat at." Severus ignored all the looks they were getting. Some clearly thinking they were a few pieces short of a fruit bowl. "If we put the fireplace in the center of the room, we could use the raised platform." 

"True." Harry handed out the tape measures. "We will need temporary quarters while Hogwarts is remodeled for us to move in. Sirius, do you think we can stay with you while the work is being done?"

"Sure. They are going to work on Grimmauld Place after that. I know we started cleaning but it needs a total remake. I am thinking of gutting it." Sirius pranced further into the Great Hall, directing his floating tape measure to start measuring the chairs and tables.

"What is going on?" Dumbledore stood from his chair, he was clearly confused. 

"1 square for me." Harry walked to the wall to his right and set the tape measure loose. He directed it towards the wall.

Remus walked to stand in front of the Headmaster but before he could say anything the doors were opened again and everyone watched Cornelius Fudge, followed by Madam Bones, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and a small group of Aurors made their entrance. "Dumbledore why haven't you answered my calls?" Fudge was clearly still the same idiot he always had been and the rest were suffering for it.

"I was unaware you needed me." Dumbledore was very confused, he had no idea what was going on. He didn't like the idea of not knowing what was going on. He had been in charge for decades and it wasn't going to change. It's why Fudge was still in office. 

"It's the floo network, it's been shut down." Madam Bones sighed. "I have been telling you that."

"I believe we need to speak in my office."

"2 squares for me." Harry bounced up and down. "Hey, Severus, don't forget we need to still measure for more bookcases the private library we want in the old Headmaster's office."

"I have it written down. We need to find a new guard too." Severus answered.

"What is wrong with a giant bat?" Sirius sent his tape measure to measure the dinnerware on the table. "I think it would work wonders, and no one would dare to try and enter our private library." 

"I thought we decided on a dragon?" Remus was sorting out things in his pouch, he had laid some of the parchments on the table. "A nice black one, with smoke that will come out of his nose if you get the password wrong two times and on the third flames out of its mouth."

"Oh, we did agree to that, didn't we?" Sirius waved the tape measure forward, towards measuring the other place settings. "Can we have it with a scar on its face?"

"I think we can work with that." Severus paused as the thought about their new guard. "It can even have wings."

"Fangs?" Harry was writing whatever figures he got from the tape measure down, people thought, the boy was acting like he was on a sugar high. "It needs to have fangs."

"Fine fangs, too." 

"See giant bat." Sirius mumbled, rather loudly, to Remus, who nodded his agreement.

"My office." Dumbledore was trying to regain control over the situation, but no one moved towards the doors.

"Oops, Remus, you need to give him the notice." Harry waved his hand at the windows. "Go measure them." He told the tape measure.

Remus removed a bottomless pouch from his robes, started pulling out different colored scrolls. If anyone had been looking they would have seen the first pouch was just filled with sketches and diagrams of Hogwarts. "Sirius, get over here and start passing these out." 

"Who gets what?" 

"The names are on the tags." Remus answered as he was still looking inside the pouch. "Yes, found it." He handed over a large scroll to Dumbledore. "You have been served." Sirius was passing out the scrolls to the individual staff members. 

"I've been fired?" Sybill cried as she opened her black scroll.

"1 to Remus." Sirius' fist pumped. He finally got a square.

"That was a freebie, it shouldn't count." Severus, after all, was Slytherin, and he wasn't about to let another Gryffindor get a square before he got another one.

"What is going on?" Draco Malfoy asked Blaise Zambini.

"I have no idea, but it's getting interesting." Blaise answered.

Dumbledore opened the purple spotted scroll and started reading, his face getting pale. "Merlin, you can't to it."

"He said it, he said it." Harry jumped up and down. "Pay up, Severus. 3 squares."

"You had to say it like that. I picked any other way but that, Albus." Severus pulled out his change holder, pulled out a knut. "Here." 

"You have no right to fire anyone." Dumbledore stated.

"2 for Severus." Sirius announced. 

"2 for us all, but Harry he has 4." Remus explained. 

"You can't do this." Dumbledore waved the scroll around.

"Do what?" Filius was reading his light blue scroll. He was looking at a new contract, with better pay, benefits, and the ability to teach what he wanted.

"Hogwarts is going private, everyone is being evicted." Remus announced. "Some of you have been let go, most of you were given new contracts."

"You can't be serious?" A few students asked.

"No, I am Sirius. He is Remus Lupin, that is Harry Potter, and last in our little squad of players is Severus Snape." Sirius announced.

"I demand to know what is going on." Cornelius really looked like a two-year-old throwing a temper tantrum.

"I told you already, we got evicted from all of the government buildings." Madam Bones sighed. She walked over to her niece. "Let me sit down, that man is giving me a headache."

"Evicted from the government?" Dumbledore was confused. "How?"

"Well, according to what saw posted on the buildings, we broke the magical binding contract for the land." Kingsley spoke.

"Bingo, I got Bingo." Harry ran around Remus. "I won, I won." 

"Yes, you did and for getting Bingo, you have won the right to decorate one of the floors exactly how you desire." Remus announced.

"That so isn't fair." Sirius pouted.

"We still have more spots on the cards." Remus said. "You might win something, next up is the right to pick the new furniture in the common rooms."

"I thought we were going to leave-" Severus sent his tape measure up to the rafters. 

"Gentlemen another time. Let's return to the matter at hand." Madam Bones reminded them.

"Right, well you see, you lost the land when the Ministry broke the contract concerning locking up innocent citizens, failing to provide a trial, slander, failure to fix the miscarriage of justice-" Kingsley stopped reading. "Who wrote this?"

"I did." Sirius proudly stated, waving his scarf in the air. "It's all true." 

"Yes, I am aware of that but a miscarriage of justice, really? Nevermind. Now getting back to the reason, accepting bribes from known felons. The land leased to the Ministry of Magic by the Black family has been returned to the hands of the Black family."

"Harry, how could you?" Granger accused.

"What? I'm only heir Black." 

"I believe we should take this some place a bit more private. Where we can discuss this and work on a finding a solution." Dumbledore needed to be someplace where he could work on getting Harry and Sirius back under his control.

"Well, that just achieved Harry another Bingo." Severus muttered. "He got private, discuss, and solution."

"Yes!" Harry high fived Sirius.

"He can't be Lord Black, he was in Azkaban." Cornelius pointed to Sirius.

"Falsely imprisoned. I was innocent." Sirius pointed out. "Harry, Severus, can I have one of the unused classrooms to set up a prank shop?"

"Why are you asking them?" Ron asked.

"Well, they own Hogwarts. We need their permission if we want to open a prank shop. I think the Weasley Twins might allow us to carry their line of products in the shop. They can branch out here." Remus searched his parchments, for the one that had the diagrams of Hogwarts.

"If they aren't going to be used in a dangerous or harmful way, I have no problem." Severus answered. "Harry?"

"Whatever, you are the new Headmaster." Harry answered.

"What do you mean they own Hogwarts?" Ginny asked. "I have the right to know I am engaged to Harry." She tried, but it was an epic fail, to walk alluring towards Harry.

"Save me, someone, save me from the red-hair beast coming towards me." Harry peeked around Severus. "Did she say engaged?"

"Yes, finally caught that did you?" Severus asked.

"I am not marrying that girl, she has red hair, flashbacks to my mother, no thanks, and not to mention but she is also the wrong sex."

"That would be the biggest way to deflate any desire." Sirius shuddered thinking of his own mother. 

"We have a contract, it's all signed." Ginny smirked.

"No, you don't." Madam Bones stated. "There isn't any contract filed at the Ministry or Gringotts."

"As I own 62.5% of Hogwarts, Severus owns 37.5% we removed Dumbledore from the Headmaster position. The new co-Headmasters might sign off on the contract, but I don't think they will." Harry answered.

"Severus is the new Headmaster." Dumbledore was shocked, he was not the Headmaster any longer. The Slytherins clapped at the news. 

"Yes, he is. Now, this brings us back to what we meant to discuss earlier. All the students will receive their acceptance letters this summer. As soon as we have all the new classes and staff in place. We will send everyone the complete list of courses we will be offering. If you wish to remain after your seventh year and take any of the new courses you are welcome to return." Remus stated.

"What about the Ministry?" Cornelius demanded.

"We have some rules on that. I will sign a new agreement, in exchange, you and Madam Umbridge will retire. You will have nothing to do with politics. I will sign a new long-term lease granting the Ministry use lands and wards." Sirius smirked. 

"I am not retiring." Cornelius snapped. "You can't force me to do it."

"Bingo, finally." Severus stated. "I get to pick our vacation." He told Harry, Harry just shrugged. 

Madam Bones looked at Kingsley. He nodded. "I am going to make it simple. You sign the new agreement or you go to Azkaban, Cornelius. Albus, you will step down without a complaint, and no charges will be filed against you and your little minions. I believe Mr. Lupin has the contracts."

"I do." Lupin grinned.

After everything was signed, with Granger whining about having to pay Harry and Sirius for damages to books, Minerva smirked, and quietly said, "I believe I won on that bet."

"Aurors will be escorting you to your dorms, or in Albus' case, his quarters to gather your things. The elves have already packed everything. I believe your brother is expecting you, Albus. The rest of you will be escorted home by an Auror." Madam Bones said. There was a lot of mumbling and as the Aurors escorted them away.


	6. Mawage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> moved to main stories under Mawage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone sent me a link via AOL that there is a story on FF called the Marriage, it's much better than my idea. Take a gander, and I am sure you will agree.

Oct: 1997

Harry sat down in front of Dumbledore's desk. The man was going to be annoying he just knew it. He bit his tongue and repeated his mantra of 8 more months to graduation if he lived that long. "Tea? Lemon Drop?" Dumbledore smiled.

"No, thank you." Harry answered. He hadn't touched one of those potion laced drops since his first year. 

"Harry, as you know Voldemort has his yearly events."

"Yes, every Halloween and the end of year event every May." Harry was hoping the man wasn't going to rehash everything they knew. 

"Correct, my sources have told me that Voldemort is going to bind you to him in marriage on Halloween. He knows if he does, he can use your magic and you won't be able to fight against him, nor he against you, but to him, it will get you out of the way. He doesn't want to have to worry about you or the prophecy any longer."

"I see, and how are we going to stop this?" Harry knew he shouldn't have asked the question, but he also knew the answer was going to come out one way or another and he didn't want to spend the next hour playing trying to drag the answer out of Dumbledore.

"I am not sure if you are aware of how a binding works, but when two people are bound, it's for life. Which means, I would perform the ceremony and with bond I would be using would assure that love would come later in the marriage. As you know love is a very powerful tool."

"So you're going to bind me and Voldemort?" What kind of assinine plan was this man thinking? Maybe, Harry thought, the lemon drops rotted Dumbledore's brain. He knew he wasn't going to bind him to Voldemort, and he had a very bad feeling about who he was going to suggest.

"No, no my dear boy. I am sure we can find someone. Now, why don't you give it some thought, and create a list of people. We will have the ceremony on Sunday. You give me a list of people by Wednesday, that is in two days. I will arrange everything." 

"I don't want to get married, bonded, engaged or anything." Harry stated. He wasn't going to let his man ruin his life. 

"Harry, you want to be bonded to Voldemort?" 

"I don't want to be bonded to anyone. Doesn't intentions count? If I resist?"

"Sadly, we don't know what bond he might consider using. He is very skilled in the dark arts and he might use one of the older, illegal ones that don't need anyone's consent. There were a lot of bonds that forced two enemies to bind together to settle a war."

Harry wanted to dance, the man just gave him the perfect solution. He kept his eyes down, he didn't want the old fool to read about his new plan. "Fine." Harry sulked. "Anything else?"

"No, just have a list by Wednesday."

_____________________________________________________________________

Wednesday:

"Master Harry Potter." Dobby popped into the ROR.

"Yes, Dobby?" Harry lowered the book he was reading. He was actually surrounded by books, parchment, and his notes.

"It's Wednesday." Dobby told him. "They be looking for you still."

"Can you take me to outside of the Headmaster's office?"

"Yes. Harry Potter want me to keep room from use?"

"No. I have everything. I will have the next part of the instructions for you and Winky for Sunday tonight."

________________________________________________________________

"Harry, I was getting worried." Dumbledore gave him a slight smile. Harry knew that smile was as fake as the twinkling eyes.

"I am fine. I don't have a list. There is no one I want to bond too." Harry already refused the lemon drops. He knew the old coot carried the undoctored lemon drops in his left pocket, maybe it was time to have Dobby switch them around.

"Well, that isn't a problem. I have the perfect person in mind and I know the two of you will make a fine couple. Mrs. Weasley is arranging the ceremony. Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley have picked out the dress robes for you."

"Excuse me? They what?" Harry asked. 

"Well, we wanted to make sure everything was ready in time for Sunday. The flowers, the food, even the decorations are all set." 

Harry glared but didn't comment. "Is there anything else?" 

"No, just be ready for Sunday."

Harry stood up. He was going to be ready for Sunday, he wondered if everyone else would.

__________________________________________________________

Sunday:

Harry walked into the Great Hall. He wasn't surprised by the crowd gathered. Dumbledore had made sure to announce his wedding to everyone. He wondered if the wedding really needed to be in the paper for the last three days. They even posted pictures of him walking around Hogwarts, with the captions of "who caught Harry Potter's heart" and below would be pictures of people he had been seen talking with or even sitting next too.

Dumbledore was at the other end of the Great Hall, where the ceremony was to take place. Once Harry reached the ritual table with two candles lite, Dumbledore grinned. "Lovely, now as we are now gathered here, we can begin."

Harry ignored him and turned to face the crowd. "Eager for a wedding? Does it matter to any of you that I don't want to get married?"

No one said anything. Dumbledore started. "We are here to unite."

"I see. Well, this makes it easier for me." Harry waved his hand and everyone was frozen. "Nice spell that. It will keep everyone here as witnesses. Now for the other groom." Harry pulled out his wand and began a long chant, and soon a form appeared in the room. People would have started to scream and run if they weren't already frozen in place. "Now we can begin the wedding." 

Harry moved Voldemort next to Dumbledore. Once that was done, he pulled out two bonding bands, laid them on the ritual table, tossing the two rings aside. He pulled out a book, laid it down. He faced Dumbledore and Voldemort and pulled a hair from each of them. He began a long chant in Latin, using his wand at the end to link the two bands. After the magic passed over the linked bands, Harry began another long, complicated pattern of wand waving. Soon the bands were on Voldemort and Dumbledore. "You may kiss your husband." Harry stated, ending all the spells.

"What did you do, Potter?" Voldemort was the first one to recover.

"Well, since you both seemed so eager for a bonding ceremony I decided you each would get what you wanted. Dumbledore wanted the bonding to end the war, and from the crowd gathered and their lack of concern that I didn't want to be married, they also wanted the war to end. You didn't want to worry about me, the prophecy, or Dumbledore. Since the war was between the two of you, I just cut down the cost to the ones who were getting in your way, you know the ones who came here to watch a bonding. The ritual I used, if you look down on the band and see the runes, assures that neither of you will try to kill the other. It also includes that love aspect that Dumbledore likes to run on about. He claims you never had anyone to love you, well now you do, Albus Dumbledore Riddle will love you. Dumbledore, you finally get someone in your life to tell you to mind your own business and stop meddling in the affair of others, as you will be busy enough trying to control Tom Riddle Dumbledore. We, the rest of the wizarding world, get peace and hopefully a decent DADA professor that will last longer than a year." Harry smirked and walked down the aisle and out the doors of the Great Hall.

Severus and Lucius exchanged a look and started laughing. "He just out Slytherin them." 

Dobby appeared in the Great Hall. "Time to leave for your honeymoon." 

"Honeymoon?" Dumbledore and Voldemort looked sickened at the very idea. 

"Yes, for the next three months, you will be on quiet island. You be happy there, everything all taken care of. Master Harry made sure of it. You be returned after Cupid's Day." Dobby grabbed them and popped out of the Great Hall.

Severus started laughing so hard he had tears coming out of his eyes, Lucius was wiping his own eyes. "Three months without either of those two nutters around." Severus finally muttered.

"We need to go and find Mr. Potter."

"I agree." Severus responded. 

They found Harry packing his stuff up in Gryffindor Tower. "I take it they are on their honeymoon?"

"Yes, Dobby took them. Can you explain what we just witnessed?" Severus asked.

"Let me ask you a question, were you required to get new dress robes?" 

"Yes." 

"Did it make you wonder why no one was named when it was announced I was getting married?"

"I will kill him." Severus snapped as he realized what Harry was saying. 

"You mean he wanted the two of you to bond and didn't plan on telling Severus until right before the ceremony? He really is nutters." Lucius stated. "Well, Mr. Potter, you have my and I am certain, every single Death Eater's sincere thanks for ending the war."

"I just wanted them out of my life. Now, I have to figure out where to go to avoid the backlash of marriage proposals once this gets out. I just want to study and get my NEWTs."

"I believe I can help with that." The two former Death Eaters made plans with the Gryffindor.

_______________________________________________________

1 Sept. 1999

"Mr. Riddle, how are you feeling?" Poppy asked. 

Voldemort snarled. "Albus, this is all your fault."

Harry put up a silencing charm. Most of the school knew the routine by now. Voldemort was pregnant thanks to a potion that Dumbledore slipped into his food. Voldemort wasn't happy about being pregnant, he wanted a child, but he hated being pregnant. Harry felt his hand squeezed. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, just a bit off this morning. Severus already gave me a potion." Lucius responded. Lucius was sitting between Severus and Harry. They had been bonded for a year. Harry was now the DADA Professor, Severus the Potion Master and taught NEWT level potions, while Draco was starting his apprenticeship, and the Weasley twins would teach OWL and below. Lucius was the Political Science professor. It was a compromise between Dumbledore and Voldemort in regards to Hogwarts and the student's education. 

"I said no, Albus." Voldemort broke the silencing charm. 

"Students I believe it's time for the first slot to start." Minerva stood up and together the staff worked on getting everyone away from Dumbledore, who still hadn't learned to not meddle, but Voldemort was teaching him, as they heard a yelp from Dumbledore.


	7. I Just Don't Care

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Move to it's own story now !!! I Just Don't Care

Harry entered the room, after leaving Hermione behind at the potion trial. He sat down on the floor and watched Quirrell having an internal debate with whoever. "You know if might just try asking the mirror for it." Harry stated as he rose. 

"Potter." Quirrell lost his stutter.

"Yes, and I am guessing you have a guest." Harry answered as he walked out into the opening. "You know, you could have done this anytime, why wait until the end of the year? I mean if three first-years could get through all those traps, you should be had no problem."

"Dumbledore." Quirrell answered.

"He is annoying, isn't he?" Harry asked. "I mean all year, thinking he was leading me around with those clues. Honestly, I was surprised how long it took the "brightest witch of our generation" to figure out the answers. I had to actually hint a few times in which direction to go in. I even left the stupid Chocolate Frog card where Weasley could see it. Waste of brain cells."

"You aren't what you appear." Quirrell stated.

"Neither are you, so I guess were even. The key to getting the stone is simple. Just have no desire to use it." Harry stood in front of the mirror and felt the stone appear in his pocket. "So how about we strike a deal?"

"Give me the stone." Quirrell demanded.

"Not dealing with you, now your buddy, that is a different story." Harry answered. "Honestly, I do expect a level of professionalism."

"Let me speak to the boy." A voice stated.

"Ah, the mysterious stranger is willing to speak to me." Harry grinned. He watched Quirrell unwrap his turban. "Just a hint next time, don't go with a turban, unless you have always worn one, gives it away."

Quirrell turned, Harry hid a smirk as he looked at the face on the back of Quirrell's head. "What deal?"

"Simple, I will allow you to use the stone to get a body or whatever back. One use, you return the stone to me. You find a way to get me away from my muggle relatives, with no damage done to me. Personally, could care less about what happens to them. We agree not to fight with each other, it will end whatever plan Dumbledore has set. You let me return to Hogwarts."

Voldemort wasn't willing to give in that easy and replied, "two uses of the stone, I won't destroy it. I will remove you from the muggle relatives. It might take some time. Are you aware of the prophecy?"

"Please, it was delivered by that hack, in a pub. You do realize the odds of a prophecy being true is almost nil, the only ones that fulfilled are the ones the idiots start on the course of filling it and don't stop." Harry answered. "One use or no stone."

Voldemort thought for a few moments. "Dumbledore won't let it go. He will want us to fight."

"Takes two to fight, however, I am not endangering my life for anyone else. I didn't even do anything to come here except fly. Granger dealt with the Devil's Snare and the potion aspect. Really have no idea why she thinks wizards don't use logic, but it worked. Weasley dealt with the chessboard, got hurt on it too. He blocked himself in, leaving no other move but for his piece to be taken out."

Voldemort smirked. "You aren't a Gryffindor."

"Nope, had to fight the hat for it. We best get this over with, you know Dumbledore won't be fooled for long with your distraction."

"True. Fine, one use to get my body back, I remove you from your relatives. I want your support in the war."

"This summer if possible. I really don't even want to return to them." Harry answered.

"Severus or Lucius Malfoy?" Voldemort asked.

"Severus, Dumbledore won't put up such a stink that way, he will still think he has some control over the situation." 

"I can arrange that. Especially since he believe Severus is his spy." 

"Interesting." Harry asked. "I can't show any support until I am aware from Hogwarts. I can do it behind the scenes. Oh, no hurting me that mean you won't be casting any of your creative punishments on me. I want some training, but you aren't allowed to treat me like one of your followers." 

"So you will support me, I will train you. You will learn Dark Arts and anything else I instruct."

"That is fine. I don't mind that." 

"Deal?"

"Deal." Harry held out his hand and they felt the magic sealing the deal. Harry handed him the stone. "Now, let's set the stage for Dumbledore. Can you create a copy of that stone?"

"I was going to create some dust, with a blast circle around it. Ashes for a corpse, you will act surprised and ask timidly if it was your mother's protection that saved you. He is always going on about love and he will believe loved saved you."

"Oh, good idea." Harry grinned and they got to work. 

___________________________________________________________________________

Severus was furious. He couldn't believe Dumbledore did it again. It was at the Leaving Feast. He had been watching Potter and noticed the boy wasn't as happy as he appeared to be when Dumbledore changed the points to allow Gryffindor to win. He was willing to bet not many noticed the fake happiness. 

When all the students were leaving the hall, he felt his mark burn. He had received a message a few days ago, while Potter was in the infirmary recovering with his friends from their adventure, warning him that he would be called. He never told Dumbledore and he wasn't about to now. He headed out to the apparition spot, placed his hand on his mark and apparated to where the Dark Lord was. 

"Ah, Severus, good of you to join me." The Dark Lord said from his desk chair. "Take a seat, we have much to discuss."

Severus wasn't sure what exactly happened, but he realized Potter had to have something to do with the Dark Lord's return. "Tell me what you know of Potter."


	8. 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Harry got the ultimate revenge against the Dursley family?
> 
> Moved to story area :)

Harry sat on his small lumpy mattress, that set on broken and squeaky springs watching the clock. He watched it turn 11:59 PM and began his countdown. He waited, patiently, as the seconds clicked by, he never knew time could be so slow. It felt like the clock was frozen. He even hit it once to make sure it wasn't stuck. "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, freedom." 

He lifted the floorboards, removed his prized possession, unlocked the multiple locks on his door, slowly crept down the hall, down the steps, skipping the second one down as it creaked. He got to his old bedroom, he smirked. He removed his trunk, shrunk all his belongs but his cloak, putting them in his pocket. 

He went to the kitchen, he glanced out the window to make sure that no one was in the backyard. He knew the Order members general preferred the front or side of the house. He quickly cast a few spells changing the color of everything in the house to black, the walls, the carpet, the furniture, the windows, the curtains, the floors, every single piece of clutter in the house was now black. He grinned. He put on his invisibility cloak and headed out the backdoor. 

He headed straight to the shed. He had already created a wizarding space using a trunk on the inside that no muggle nor wizard would find since he had Ironclaw as the secret keeper of the trunk. He also knew Mad-Eye and anyone else in the Order wouldn't look for him there. He heard the sounds of multiple apparitions and knew the Order had arrived. He got inside the trunk. 

He settled down in his comfortable bed and slept while the Order and his family were going crazy. He knew his Aunt Petunia was throwing a fit about her house, while Vernon most likely was screaming about freaks being inside his house. 

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Harry woke up and stretched. That was the first good night's sleep he had in a very long time. He made himself something to eat. He glanced at his schedule for the week he planned on being in the trunk and began his work. 

He worked on his summer assignments, he worked on the accounting books concerning his family businesses, research that Ironclaw provided for him, and he worked on his own personal projects. At the end of the week, he donned his cloak and exited the trunk. He shrunk it down and carefully exited the shed. He saw Tonks hiding behind a tree in #8 yard, but didn't see anyone else.

He walked quietly down the street, making sure to be alert for any Order members that might be lingering in the area. They had done that before, he had found Shacklebolt in the park before. Once he was sure no one was following him, he stuck out his wand and summoned the Knight Bus. He had a test he needed to take at the Ministry under his legal name. He was going to have to remember to thank his parents for thinking of the name switch in the birth announcements and what they called him. Who knew that his name was really Henrick James Sirius Peverell-Potter-Black.

Harry sat down in Ironclaw's office. He passed his Apparition Test with flying colors, no pun intended. "I believe it's time." 

Ironclaw grinned. "All?"

"All."

_____________________________________________________________________________

Vernon was fuming, he knew it had to be the freaks fault his plant was downsizing and he was losing his job. He knew he should have killed the boy when he was a baby. The useless excuse of a freak was going to get his when he found him. 

The doorbell rang, he grinned, he would take his anger out on the idiot salesman that was ringing his bell. He opened the door and looked down. There was a group of midgets, all with white hair, a lot of teeth and big noses, and his useless nephew was standing behind them. "Vernon Dursley?"

"Yes." He growled. "You, boy, get in here. I know this is all your fault."

"Oh, it is. How is the job going?" Harry wanted to do a happy dance. 

"Mr. Dursley." Ironclaw held out two pieces of folded parchment. Vernon took the parchments. "You've been served. You have three days to vacate the residence. The second is the notice of a lawsuit required to return all the funds you have been issued for the care of Harry Potter. Also, your government will be joining us in that lawsuit since you filed for assistance from them for the minor called Harry Potter." 

"What? We took that ungrateful brat in. We fed him, clothed him, provided a roof over his head." Vernon yelled, ignoring the growing crowd of nosy neighbors.

"Mr. Dursley?" A policeman asked. He was about average height with brown wavy hair, blue eyes, pockmarked face, but his body showed he was in shape. He was joined by another, who was tall, wiry almost too thin, with red hair and pale blue eyes. Both had arrived and had heard some of the conversation. They were here to arrest Mr. Dursley on multiple counts of theft, fraud, child abuse, and neglect.

"Great, it's about time you got here, arrest them for trespassing." Vernon yelled, his face turning a very interesting shade of red. 

Ironclaw turned and faced the police. "Office, we are here on behalf Lord Peverell-Potter-Black, serving an eviction notice as well as a pending lawsuit." Ironclaw handed the officer a business card.

"Has he been served?" The second officer asked.

"Yes, we has." Ironclaw answered. 

"Mr. Dursley is your wife at home?" The first officer asked. He had loosened the snap on the holster part that held his handcuffs. 

"What does that have to do with anything? Get these freaks off of my doorstep. Telling me I am evicted. I own this house." He wasn't going to leave this house, he had been living here for almost twenty years mortgage free.

"No, Mr. Dursley you don't. You were leasing it, for the price of one pound per year, through the Peverell Company as part of an agreement between Lord James Peverell-Potter and his wife Lady Lily Peverell-Potter nee Evans. When you abused their son, Lord Henrick James Sirius Peverell-Potter-Black, or has you know him, Harry Potter, you broke the agreement." Ironclaw made sure to say it loudly and clearly so that everyone listening heard him.

"What, what? Him? That freak?" Vernon started to stutter. 

"Vernon, what is going on?" Petunia arrived, she was wearing jeans, one of Vernon's old shirts, and she was clearly painting, as she had paint in her hair. She paled when she saw the goblins, the police, and her nephew. Her eyes went big and round as saucers. "YOU!"

"Hello, Aunt Petunia. Painting?" Harry wondered if he could do the Snoopy dance now or later? 

"Petunia Dursley, you are under arrest for multiple counts of theft, fraud, child abuse, and neglect." The second officer was watching them closely, he didn't trust the two of them to not try something funny.

"Pet, call our barrister." 

"You don't have any barristers." Ironclaw remarked. "The ones you have been using were part of the previous Lord Peverell's agreement, which you broke."

The two officers moved quickly and had the Dursleys cuffed. "You will remain silent." The first officer warned. The second one began to read them their rights.

"My son, I need to be here for my son."

"You son is already at the station, we picked him up selling drugs down at the park." The first officer grinned. He recognized Vernon Dursley. He went to Smelting with him and Vernon was a bully and used to torment him and his brother. He couldn't wait to tell his brother he arrested the jerk.


	9. The Importance of Messages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moved to the main area, under The Importance of Messages

"I see." Harry fought back the tears that threatened to spill. He had been laying in his usual bed in the Infirmary when Severus entered the ward. At first, he smiled at the man, glad to finally see him again. He had spent a lot of time working with Severus, having the man teach him everything he knew. He counted Severus as a good friend. He wasn't sure about his feeling regarding the man in some ways, but he trusted Severus.

"Don't contact me again. Do you understand? Never." Severus stood up from the chair he had summoned. He wanted to go and kill someone. He didn't want to do this to Harry, but Dumbledore gave him no choice. Harry nodded his head. "Verbal answer, Potter."

Harry didn't even look up, he thought about what he was just told. "Yes, don't worry, I won't." Harry left off the be anyone's problem anymore. He heard Severus, no Snape, leave, the door was slammed against the wall as he exited the Infirmary.

Harry sat there for a few minutes, burying his pain, burying his anger, his rage at Dumbledore. He wasn't sure how long he sat there just staring at his hand, adding layer upon layer of protections over his emotions, his mind, and his magic. When he became aware, he realized it was dark in the ward. He quietly got out of bed, dressed, found his cloak, and made his way to Gryffindor Tower. He quietly worked his way around the milling students in the common room. 

"Hermione, I am telling you Dumbledore has it already taken care of. We are to make sure that Potter keeps isolate from everyone again. Ginny is going to use the potions."

"I already made them for her, Ron. I know the plan. At least this is the last year. Potter won't be with me. I do feel bad for you, going to Auror Training with him." 

"I don't want to be one, but Dumbledore wants to have someone he can trust with the prat. Besides, it's a good stepping stone for a better Ministry job."

"True. I have a few apprenticeships I have to weed through, I still haven't decided on just going with an apprenticeship or university, maybe I can combine them?"

Hary spent the next hour listening to his two former best friends discuss their future. He never fully trusted them, but he had thought they were at least friends. When Hermione, no, not Hermione, Granger, she is now Granger, finally left, and Weasel was snoring, Harry started to gather his possessions. His map came flying at him from under Weasel's mattress. Harry wasn't very happy, he arranged some fake spiders to greet Weasel when he woke. Using his map, he made his way down to the Chamber of Secrets. 

Harry wasn't exactly sure what he was going to do now, but he figured he would have plenty of time to figure that out in the Chamber. He knew Dumbledore and the Order would be out in force looking for him, and he figured between the Chamber and ROR, he would be safe. They couldn't get into the Chamber and the ROR, once he was in the ROR he could get all the training, books, and even help he needed. He grinned, Dobby would be a great help. 

_______________________________________________________________________________

Harry began to work on reviewing all the years of study he had been in Hogwarts, he reviewed everything in his first year, asking Hogwarts to provide more books. He spent the rest of the summer going back and forth between the two rooms. He worked in the ROR at night, slept in the Chamber in the morning. Dobby woke him in time to start his exercise regime he created with the help of the books Hogwarts provided and made sure Harry ate. 

"Master Harry Potter, the student be returning later." Dobby popped into the Chamber as Harry was changing his clothes.

"Good, we can go to Gringotts. Weaslette should be here. Granger and Weasel?" Harry asked.

"Nasty Bushy Hair is here, for apprenticeship with Professor Tabby. Nasty Red is also now here. He doing flying." 

"So he did talk them into coming here. Did you find out why?"

"Yes, they plan on making you return to join Weaslette in classes. No NEWTs they believe." Dobby answered. 

Harry smirked. He had a plan for when to take his NEWTs but he needed to visit the goblins first to find out if his plan would work. "The elves are ready?"

"Yes, no one will say you were here. All agree, they even left Nasty Bushy presents in her rooms." 

Harry grinned, all summer the elves had been gathering all the clothes that Granger had made over the years at Hogwarts, and they were going to use them as her welcome back to Hogwart's present. They couldn't when she was a student, but there wasn't a rule against it now that she wasn't truly staff, apprentices didn't get paid, so, therefore, weren't staff. Harry liked that loophole.

"Good, when Dumbledore and the others are busy, come and get me, we will go to Gringotts." Harry wasn't exactly sure what his next move was. He learned everything he could and knew he needed to learn more, but he didn't want Dumbledore to be able to get him. He needed to get free and taking his NEWTS and seeing the goblins was the only logical choice he knew he had to make.

_____________________________________________________________________

Severus was glaring at Granger and Weasley as they sat down in the Headmaster's office. They had about twenty hours before the students returned and Dumbledore called a last minute Order meeting. He had no desire to even look at the people in the room, they made him sick. If he had been aware of what was truly going on behind his back, he would have never agreed to break off his training with Harry. He would never have agreed to break Harry's trust or his friendship. 

"Any news?" Dumbledore asked.

No one responded. They had spent the last four months looking for Harry. When Harry disappeared from the Infirmary in May, Severus thought Harry had just needed some time. It wasn't until the next day when he met "team Harry" that he learned how much betrayal the boy must have realized. 

"We have tried everything. The owls won't even leave here." Granger yapped. How he longed to sew her mouth shut.

"Ya, even tried to visit his relatives." Weasley spoke with a mouthful of food. Another one he wanted to permanently shut up. 

"His relatives haven't seen him since last summer." Remus stated. "They never wanted him."

Severus was still furious to realize that "team Harry" knew the boy was abused and didn't even care. When he had found out, he spent the next week brewing potions that he had them test for him. The testing ended about two weeks ago, however, he was thinking of restarting them again. 

"Nothing from Gringotts either." Molly Weasley stated. "No one's been in his vaults, according to Bill, when I asked him.

"I didn't think they could provide that information?" Remus asked. "I asked and I got told they couldn't tell me."

"I used a mild compulsion charm on Bill and then a slight memory charm. He doesn't even know he told me." Molly answered. "Bill got assigned back to Egypt, so we have no one who can check any longer." 

"When are we going to get paid?" Weasley asked.

"Paid?" Severus was suddenly very interested. He didn't know the betrayers were being paid. 

"Ron, really." Granger admonished.

"Sadly, since Harry is over seventeen, I don't have control any longer. So until I get him to authorized my use of the vaults, you will have to wait. It won't be long." Dumbledore gave a slight smile. 

"True, once Ginny and Harry are married-" 

Severus almost spit out his tea, as he started coughing. He couldn't believe this. "We have to find him first."

Severus couldn't believe these people. This was the light? At least on the dark side, you knew what people were about, the ones who would backstab you versus those were your allies. He was thankful he wrote a letter to Harry after he learned the partial truth. He knew Harry would go to the goblins eventually. He decided to send another one tonight.


	10. We're Not Crazy, It's the Rest of the World...Honestly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> moved to main area under We're Not Crazy, ....

"Sev?" Harry was looking out the narrow window, only about three centimeters wide but six centimeters in length, to the courtyard, if you want to call a mass of flat stones surrounded by huge stone walls a courtyard, wondering what was going on.

"What?" Severus was rearranging their bedding, it was an everyday chore he set himself up to do.

"Dumbledore, it has to be with that color robe, and a group of people just arrived."

Severus walked over to the window and when Harry moved aside looked out. He knew Harry's eyesight wasn't as great because his glasses were sadly outdated. "It looks like Black, Lupin, Moody with some Aurors."

"No prisoner?" 

"No, wonder what they are doing here?" Severus asked. He looked over at their wall, did a quick count. "It isn't time for his yearly annoying visit."

"Well, should we get into our places in case?" Harry asked. He wasn't sure what was going on either.

"Most likely, we will need to hide the extra bedding and cover the markings." Severus stated. They quickly hid everything and pulled out ratty blanket they had stolen from Lucius Malfoy when he had been incarcerated before he had been Kissed. They huddled together since they had to kill the warming charms they had placed in their cell. "I hate when they visit, takes forever to get everything back in place."

"Not to mention I hate being filthy." Harry added. 

"Agreed. I call the shower first." Severus stated.

"Can't we share? It will warm us both up." Harry nudged Severus. 

Severus didn't get to reply as they heard voices coming. They stare into space and wait. Soon they see Dumbledore, Black, Lupin, Moody with Shacklebolt at their door. Neither made any type of movement to show they know what is going on. 

*You know why they are here?* They rarely used this method of communicating as it took a lot of energy out of them since they used their energy to keep the cell habitable.

*No. I am trying Black but can't get a direct link.*

*Wonder what they want? This isn't Dumbles normal visit, he comes alone.*

"Oh, Albus, I think we are too late." Black rushed into the room, pulling Harry away from Severus. 

*Yuck, dog germs.* Harry remained motionless. He felt like he was being hugged to death. *Cause of death, hugged by a flea-bitten dog.*

"We need to get them out of here." Lupin stated. He moved to stand by Severus.

*This is interesting. They found out we are innocent, it appears Arthur Weasley found the paperwork in the sealed files of the Ministry, he got elected as the new Minster. The sealed files showed that Fudge, with Dolores Umbridge and Percy Weasley, sent the Dementors that killed your cousin, aunt, and uncle. The dark magic they said we used was actually an old case file from the first war and they transferred my magical signature to the new case, added yours when you tried to defend yourself.* Severus could feel Harry's anger and was proud he kept it buried, even as they were being manhandled out of their cell. 

"We need to get them to Hogwarts. I already arranged beds for them." Dumbledore explained. 

"Who is going to explain what happened?" Moody asked. He was standing behind Severus, as they were being escorted out of Azkaban.

"I believe that job falls to me. I am sure we can work on them forgiving us." Dumbledore led the way out of Azkaban.

One of the unnamed Aurors muttered to his partner. "I hope they aren't expecting to be forgiven. They put them in here for ten years."

_________________________________________________________

As soon as everyone left the Infirmary, Harry sat up, Severus did too. They stood up and pushed the beds together, laid back down. "Going to feel weird sleeping in this cheap bed." Harry stated. He already missed their bed. 

"We will have to have Dobby or Kreacher get our bed." Severus answered. "Right now, I want a nap."

"They did throw off our schedule. I wonder if they figured out what happened to the Dark Wanker yet?" Harry asked.

Severus grinned. They weren't going to tell anyone what they did to the Dark Lord. Well, technically, Harry, but they did wonder if anyone would ever figure it out. Severus felt Harry pull him closer, as the blanket settled over them.

___________________________________________________________

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" Harry opened his eyes. Severus buried his head under the blanket. "GET AWAY FROM THAT DEATH EATER!" Black screamed.

"Sirius, calm down." Lupin grabbed Black as he started to pull out his wand. "We aren't here to cause problems."

"That Death Eater has his arms wrapped around my godson." Black snapped. He tried to pull away from Lupin.

"I would say it's more like Potter has his arms wrapped around my godfather." Draco Malfoy stepped into view. "Harry, Severus." He knew they were together, how could they not be after ten years in that hellhole with only themselves for company.

"Back off dogbreath, you aren't welcomed here. Hey Draco, how's it hanging?" Harry asked. "Anything interesting in the magical world?"

"Draco." Severus peeked out from under the blanket. "I require my robes if you could bring me them. Coffee. Yes, a lot of coffee."

"I heard you two got cleared of charges, thought I would stop by and say hi. I already have arranged for clothing for both of you." Draco was one of the few who never believed Severus or Harry did anything they were charged with. When Lucius was in Azkaban, and Draco visited, he would sneak down to their cell and give them the hidden endless pouch he had on him. The pouch contained furniture, books, food, clothes, but more importantly, a small conductor of magic, that with a harmless ritual would attach itself to a person's core and allow them to do wandless magic.

"Thank you." Severus and Harry said at the same time. 

"What did you do to my godson?" Black was forced to sit on one of the beds near them. Lupin had his hands on Black's shoulders, clearly holding the man in place. 

"Think you can open up your doors for a few days? We will need a place to crash until we get our finances straightened. I wonder if we can sue the Ministry?" Harry quietly asked, well he made it loud enough for the wolf to hear.

"Door is always opened for-"

"My godson isn't staying with a Malfoy." Black snapped out.

"You have no say." Harry snapped. "You also aren't anything to me." 

Before the fighting could break out, Dumbledore strode into the Infirmary. "Ah, I see you are awake. Wonderful, wonderful. How is everyone doing?"

"Bloody marvelous, we got to be woken up by someone barking at us, how do you think we are doing?" Harry snapped. 

"It's way too early for him." Severus muttered. "Especially without some coffee." 

"My boys, I am very glad to see that Azkaban hasn't damaged you."

"Is he serious?" Harry asked.

"No, that is Sirius, he's nuts." Severus pointed to Dumbledore when he said nuts. "I have been telling you that for ten years. Though after ten years he could be certified nuts by now, or maybe completely nuts. Based on him walking in here, like they didn't do anything to us, I would say all three of them are certified nut cases. Draco, I think you are the only sane person here." Draco smirked. 

"I have wonderful news for you. Severus, your job is available, and Harry, I have drawn up a schedule for your classes." He ignored what was said. 

"He is nuts. Sorry, old man, but we aren't staying here. You and your clucking fried chicken club can go to hell for all we care." *Severus, what do you think he did?* "We're leaving as soon as we can."

*Something we are going to hate.*

"It has already been settled. Harry, you need to complete your magical education as agreed upon when you set foot on Hogwarts grounds. Severus, as a contract that he agreed upon before he was placed in Azkaban and it needs to be completed."

Severus and Harry started laughing. "That contract is outdated, it was voided when I was tossed into Azkaban and you voided Harry's magical agreement when you snapped his wand. Remember that? When everyone in the Order stood there and watched the students burn our belongs, as we were being led away by Aurors." Severus had been the first Order member to arrive at the Dursley house after the alarm had sounded. Harry had already cast his Patronus to get rid of the dementors when Severus found him. 

Harry was staring at his relatives shells. He was in shock. "I tried. I was out in the backyard weeding the flower beds." Severus pulled Harry into a hug, and that is when the Order arrived. They saw Severus hugging Harry and assumed the worst. Black stunned him, he later learned, while Lupin stunned Harry. They ported them back to Hogwarts and kept them unconscious for two days. When they were revived, they weren't even asked anything, just escorted out of the Infirmary by the Aurors. No trial, no questions asked. 

"I had the Minister reinstate the contracts." Dumbledore gave them a smile. "You need to be around your friends and those that care about you. We can't allow anger and bitterness to fester. You will resume classes on Monday. I have arranged for your old quarters to be opened and freshened up."

"Have you arranged for all of our belongs to be returned?" Harry snidely asked. "All of our clothes, books, personal items, my photo album? How about Hedwig?" It was Ron Weasley who killed Hedwig, he wasn't sure where his cloak or map where.

"My cauldrons? My potion journals? My wardrobe? My books? My personal items?" Severus added. The potion journals could never be replaced, they had all of his experiments, his notes, his ideas, and his failures in them.

Draco was watching them the three Order members as they squirmed under the assault of questions. "The Ministry is in the process of reinstating all vaults, I am sorry to say there is nothing we can do about what was destroyed."

"You can replace everything that was destroyed." Harry demanded. 

"I am sure we can work out something. Now, I do believe Draco has already arranged for clothing?" Dumbledore looked at Draco for the first time.

"Yes, unlike you three, I actually care about them." Draco stated. 

"How dare you? I love Harry." Black jerked away from Lupin.

"So much so, he sent me to Azkaban, knowing what it's like to be betrayed." Harry calmly stated. 

"HARRY! You have to understand." Black started to whine.

"All of you, get out. I will not have you creating problems. I have allowed this to go on long enough." Poppy appeared. "Now, leave."

"I just need to say one more thing, please do not try to leave, we have passed a law that restricts you to Hogwarts for the greater good." Dumbledore didn't even wait for the news to settle before he was out of the Infirmary. 

Harry was furious. "You two better leave now, before I do something that will put me back in Azkaban." 

"Get out, now, now. I will now have you disturbing them any longer." Poppy pulled out her wand and forced Black and Lupin out of the ward.

"Draco, you know what to do." Severus stated. 

"Already on it. I figured he would try something. Blaise, Theo, Pansy and the rest are just waiting for orders."

"Good, it's time we got rid of the "greater good" crowd." Harry muttered.

____________________________________________________________________

Monday arrived and Harry grinned at Severus. "You ready?"

"Yes, I am going to enjoy this." Severus smirked as they headed out to their respective classes. 

Severus POV:

I arrived at my old classroom and waited for the students to arrive. It was my first year Gryffindor and Slytherin class. After I took attendance I wrote out the recipe on the board. "Now remember the banana peels are not to end up on the floor. Mash the bananas up really well. Now the secret is you want to add just a dash of vanilla." 

I casually walked around the room. "The elves will use the acceptable ones for dinner tonight."

The students were eating some of the bananas, walnuts, and dates, but I wasn't worried, there were plenty. The elves would bring me more if we needed them. "Now for your assignment, I want a paragraph of how important vanilla is. Write as big as you want, I am blind." I dismissed the first years and waited for the next group. His NEWT level students we next. 

I hoped they liked hot chocolate. Maybe Harry will be free for when his fifth-year students were going to make tacos.

Harry POV:

Harry sat down in the back row, he was staring out the window when he someone stepped between him and the window. "Mr. Potter, why aren't you reading?" Professor McGonagall asked. 

"I don't have a book." He looked around the room, wondering why he was sitting in a room full of six-year students. He laughed to himself, remembering they didn't know. "Remember, everyone burned all my stuff."

"You had four days to replace everything, why didn't you?"

"Couldn't, I am being held prisoner here. Severus and I can't leave." He loved watching her face as she restrained her emotions. The students were a bit surprised.

"Professor Snape." She corrected me. Well, she was going to be like that. No banana bread for her. Harry leaned back in his chair, waiting. "You may borrow my copy and read the chapter."

"No thanks, I am busy watching that baby dragon flying around." I watched it made a fly by the window, and all the students ran to the windows to watch. I skipped out of the class, as she tried to regain control. *Hey, that transfiguration worked. Flying stuff dragon.* I grinned as I walked towards my next class as I heard Severus snort. 

I arrived at the empty DADA classroom. *How is your class?*

*Wonderful, we are going to have enough banana bread for everyone. My next class is making tacos. I have been craving one.*

*I will be down after I fix this class.*

*Have fun.*

*You too.*

I was leaning back in my chair, with my feet on the desk, when the door opened and in walked the mutt duo. *Merlin*

*What? What is wrong?* I could hear the panic in Severus' voice.

*The mutts are the professors.* I work on calming myself down. I know they weren't listed as the instructors on my timetable. 

"Harry!" Black almost rushed to me.

"Get away from me, fleabag." 

*What happened to Rickets or Brickets?* I heard Severus ask. I didn't remember the guy's name either.

*No idea, but you know why they are here.* I am trying to dodge Black as he kept trying to hug me, I am almost to the door when Lupin finally got control of Black.

"Sirius, sit down. Remember we talked about this." I heard him say to the mutt. I watched as they go to a corner and started whispering and saw Black making gestures towards me. 

*Yes. Have fun with them. It's not like they will expel you." 

I grinned. *Sev is that spell MoldieVoldie used on some of the recruits classified as dark?*

*Which one?*

*The one from our first session.*

I heard Severus laugh. *No, and it's one they used on me.*

*Well, I think I can be out of here within twenty minutes.*

*I will save some of the taco makings for you.*

I wait as the class started to fill up. Everyone was clearly wondering what was going on as they didn't see their professor. Lupin moves to the front of the room. "Hello. I am Professor Lupin, and this is my assistant, Professor Black. We are taking over as Professor Brackett needed to return to his family."

'I bet.' I think to myself, more like he was ousted. I listened as the two of them began to explain the new spell we were going to be learning. A shield? What? That was taught to us in my fourth year, not sixth. I have had enough and discreetly wave my hand under the table, and soon Black and Lupin are hanging upside down from the ceiling, dressed as ballerinas, in pink tutus. The ballerinas and pink tutus were my own idea. MoldieVoldie hung up the recruits to test their pain levels, trust me, you don't want to know. Everyone started laughing and I slipped out to head to Sev's class. I arrived in time to brown the meat.


	11. Slytherins in Charge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ok this is a strange idea, and not sure how I am going to work it, but what if Gryffindor and the light were viewed the same way as Slytherin was viewed in the book and movies?
> 
> Moved to the main area now

Severus bowed, kept his eyes down as he waited for Headmaster Voldemort to give his orders. He wasn't exactly sure why he was summoned up here, but he knew he wasn't going to like it. "Severus, we have a problem."

"My Lord?" 

"It appears that Harry Potter has been offered a position at Dumbledore's new school. The man has been sending him numerous owls. We found a few tracking charms, a compulsion spell, and one of the letters had an obedience like curse on it." 

Severus wanted to groan. What was Dumbledore thinking? Sending an owl to Harry Potter, he wondered if the lemon drops had rotted the man's brains finally. Dumbledore was in exile and had established a small school outside of Paris, for known light supporters. He wondered what the man was thinking of. Harry had been adopted three months after Dumbledore had dumped him at the Dursley. Dumbledore had retreated the night of the Longbottom family attack. Neville was the sole survivor but the boy barely had any magic. "I see. What has Mr. Potter decided?" 

"He made his choice to come to Hogwarts. However, it appears that Dumbledore isn't going to go away. I have an acceptance letter from the Weasley family. It seems they want to take place here. I have a Percy, Frederick, George, and Ronald Weasley submitting their magical acceptance into Hogwarts."

"I am not sure if that is possible for the older ones. They declined originally, didn't they?" Severus asked. He hadn't been invited to sit down, so remained standing. He knew this showed how stressed his Lord was. Normally, he would have indicated for Severus to take a seat by now.

"They did. I know you have reviewed the charter, and is there a way to decline all of them? Lucius is at the achieves searching for the older children's original denial." 

Severus thought for a few minutes. He wondered what Dumbledore was trying to accomplish. He smirked. "He is counting on the letters not being reviewed. Minerva used an auto-fill quill to send out the letters, and she used the older version of the of the sorting spell to create a muggle-born list. They never reviewed the acceptance letters. They always visited and almost bullied muggle parents into sending their magical children here. So he wouldn't know that we review each letter of acceptance. In the charter, we can deny entry to the older ones because of their original refusal, however, because the Weasley's have been attending here for a few generations, we can't deny their youngest son admittance. I think they have a daughter too. Do they have the funds to pay?"

"No, but I believe they are the only light family that is applying that needs tuition assistance, so we will have to approve the assistance." He really didn't want anyone from Dumbledore's group in Hogwarts, it would just bring trouble.

Severus noticed Voldemort looked thoughtful. "My Lord, I am not sure, but it could be his way of finding out if you have Harry Potter. He did place him with his relatives, believing you were vanquished, he might be hoping to gain control over Harry Potter and use him to fulfill that prophecy."

Voldemort handed the letters to Severus. "Send Ronald his acceptance, the tuition assistance approval, and the denial for the rest. See if any of them would be willing to provide any information. I know you still write to Minnie and a few others. Do they still believe you are a spy?"

"It will be done, my Lord. Last I knew they did. Dumbledore believed the report I sent to him. He honestly believes that Longbottom is magically stronger. He wants me to work with him." 

"Good, let me know if there is any issue. Speak to Lucius regarding the Weasley family. I don't want to have them try and appeal to the Ministry to try and get the rest of them in."

"Yes, my Lord." Severus bowed, and as he turned to leave, the connecting door to Voldemort's private quarters opened and Nicholas entered. "My Prince."

"Afternoon, Severus. I was hoping I would find you here. I have a potion question for you." 

"Don't you alway?" Severus grinned at the boy. "Come down to my lab in an hour, I have to take care of a few things for your father first."

"May we work on the base for the Vampiric Sundose?" Nicholas asked. 

"Yes, I just received new ingredients." 

"Nicholas, let Severus go and take care of my requests, if you two start talking potions, nothing will get done."

Nicholas shrugged his shoulders as if to say, I hope you aren't surprised. "My Lord, Little Prince." Severus bowed again and left.

"Why does he call me Little Prince?" Nicholas asked, again, really, they stopped counting the number of times he asked.

"You will find out when you're old enough. Now, come and have tea with me, we have a new student incoming that I believe will be looking for you."

"Me?" Nicholas asked, confused, seeing his father's face. "Harry Potter."

"Exactly." Voldemort summoned an elf.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Nicholas was sitting by himself, reading the newest potion book when the compartment door was slammed open. "Oops." A red-haired boy stepped into the compartment. "I guess I don't know my own strength. Excuse me, do you mind? Everywhere else is full."

"Not at all." Nicholas knew the train wasn't full. The only ones to ride the train were children of the Death Eaters and any staff that was needed. He watched the boy take a seat opposite him. 

"I'm Ron by the way! Ron Weasley." 

Nicholas grinned, time to have some fun. His father was going to enjoy this memory. "I'm Harry. Harry Potter."

"So, it's true! DO you really have the… the…" Ron waved his hand towards Nicholas' face.

"The what?" Nicholas wasn't sure what the boy meant. They knew the stories the light side had created regarding Harry Potter, they were some interesting pieces fantasy stories. 

"The scar?" Ron leaned a bit forward as if sharing a secret.

"My scar?" Nicholas touched his forehead. Why, oh, the stupid theory Dumbledore had about his scar and the Killing Curse. 

"Wicked!" Awe filled his voice. 

"What house do you think you will be in?" Ron asked.

"Not really sure. I mean they all have their good points and bad." He sounded like Filius Flitwick, who usually gave the students the lectures on the different houses when he met them as either muggle-borns or half-bloods. "What house are you hoping for?" 

"Gryffindor, it's the house my parents, and well, all of my family was in. Well, except for my older brothers, they go to Dumbledore Academy for Wizards and Witches. He is the greatest wizard of our time."

"Dumbledore?" Really, he wondered who was doing Dumbledore's publicity, but they clearly were slacking. Voicing his surprise was a mistake, as he now had to listen to twenty minutes of Dumbledore's achievements, goals, ideas, and even some weird stories about the man, including one where Dumbledore was feared by what? Did he just hear that?

"Voldemort is afraid of Dumbledore?" Nicholas knew his face showed his shock.

"Shhh, you don't say his name." Ron looked around as if expecting someone to jump out. "It's why no one has seen You-Know-Who since that night." Nicholas was wondering what was in the water. His father wasn't hiding, and certainly still using his own name, and not that lame title the light tried to pass off on him. "I just need to avoid Slytherins, there isn't a bad wizard that didn't come from Slytherin, full of Death Eaters and dark wizards."

"Only from Slytherin? No other house?" Nicholas knew he was asking for trouble asking that question. He should have kept his mouth closed as he ended up listening to all the tales from the last war. He was about to pull out his wand when the door to the compartment opened. Sanity arrived.

Draco, with Blaise, Theo, and Pansy entered the compartment. "Nicholas?"

"Meet Ronald Weasley." Nicholas informed them. All of them well aware of the incoming Dumbledore's patsy. 

"You said you are Harry Potter." Ron seemed dumbfounded.

"I was, and in a way still am. I mean I am heir Potter, but I don't really use the name. I prefer to use the name my father gave me. Nicholas Peverell." His full name was Nicholas Julius Riddle Slytherin Peverell.

"Oh, you're the Headmaster's son." Nicholas and his friends watched the tension retreat from the boy's body. 

The group of friends exchanged a quick smirk.

_______________________________________________________________________________

"First years, over here." They all turned and saw the groundskeepers, one was by the carriages, getting the older students taken care of, one was by the boats, while Bruce was collecting the first years around him. 

"Nicholas, are you taking the boat?" Draco asked as they exited the train.

"Come on, Nicholas, it will be fun." Pansy linked her arm with his. "You know Otis will want to say hi."

Nicholas smirked. "Ron, why don't you join us in the boat."

Ron was sitting next to Draco, Nicholas sat down next to Pansy and soon they were off. When they were about halfway across, Otis made an appearance. The giant squid came out of the water, and one of his tentacles went straight for Nicholas. 

Ron started screaming and as he stood up, he rocked the boat. Splash. "Nicholas, stop playing with Otis." Bruce stated. 

Otis used one tentacle to retrieve Ron from the water while taking a treat from Nicholas. "Just one treat, Nicholas. He already had some earlier."

"Yes, Sir." Nicholas responded. "Sorry. Otis is my friend." He told a soaking wet Ron.

_______________________________________________________________________

Severus glared at the student in the hall. He noticed the wet boy, clearly, a Weasley. He glanced at Nicholas, who shrugged. He waved his wand, giving the Weasley boy clean, dry clothing. "Welcome to Hogwarts. Now, in a few moments, you will pass through these doors and join your classmates. But before you take your seats, you must be sorted into your houses. They are four houses, they are Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor." Gryffindor was said with a lot of disdain. "Now while you're here your house will be like your family, in some cases your only family. Your triumphs will earn you points. Any rule breaking and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup."

Suddenly a toad was hopping down the corridor. "Trevor! Sorry." Neville apologized to Severus and retrieved his Trevor. 

"May I suggest Mr. Longbottom, you keep control of your familiar, or I will." Severus warned. 

"Yes, Sir." Neville put Trevor into his pocket. 

Severus pointed to the Great Hall. "The Sorting Ceremony will begin momentarily. I will return in a few minutes to escort you in. Do not leave this area." Severus headed to the Great Hall.

"I heard a Weasley is here." Someone quietly said to their neighbor.

"Really?" A hushed voice asked.

"Wonder if they have finally realized what being a pure-blood is about." Another boy asked.

"I think it was the one that fell into the lake." Another student stated.

"Really, that would explain so much." The first person replied. He looked at Ron. "Red hair and a hand-me-down robe? You must be a Weasley." He paused, "however, it appears you are realizing that some wizarding families are better than others, Weasley. You don't want to make friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

"Who are you?" Ron asked. 

"Oh, I do apologize, I am Marcus Orus Paddington."

"I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, I don't need your help." 

"What is Mark doing?" Draco quietly asked.

"No idea, but he sounds like a pompous jackass." Nicholas responded. 

"Feeling Weasley out?" Draco wondered.

"Could be, but I feel Weasley is a Gryffindor."

"Great, like we need another one of them." 

"We're ready for you. Follow me." Severus didn't even wait to see if they were following him, he just spun on his heels, robes billowing behind him as he led them into the Great Hall.

"It's not really the ceiling. It's just bewitched to look like the night outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."

"Muggle-born." Pansy stated. "Ravenclaw?"

"I think so." Blaise answered.

Severus pointed to the wall on their left. "Will you wait along here, please. Now before we begin, Professor Peverell would like to say a few words."

Voldemort stood up. "Welcome students, old and new to another exciting year and as normal I have a few start-of-term notices. The first years please note, that the Forbidden Forest is strictly forbidden to all students, without a professor accompanying you. Also, our caretakers, Mr. and Mrs. Emerson, remind everyone to review the list of forbidden items. Remember if you cast a spell in the corridors, be ready to defend yourself. Thank you."

At Voldemort's nod, Severus pulled out a scroll from his robes. He was standing near a three-legged stool and onto of the stool was a hat. "When I call your name you will come forth. I shall place the Sorting Hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your houses." 

They were watching the sorting when Ron quietly asked, "why does that end table as so few students?"

Before anyone could answer, the hat shouted out "Slytherin."

Ron turned and faced Nicholas. "It must be the Slytherin table. There's no witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin."

No one said a word, as they were in shock. The hall was quiet, and everyone was staring at Ron. Severus recovered and realized he needed to get the boy sorted before someone hurt the boy. "Ronald Weasley!"

"Gryffindor!" 

Ron got up from the stool and started to head to the table with the most students. "Mr. Weasley, you are a Gryffindor, not a Slytherin." He pointed to the table with the least number of students, exactly 23 students, counting Ron.

"Nicholas Peverell." 

Nicholas sat down and before the hat even touched his head, it shouted "Slytherin!" If anyone had been looking at Ron Weasley, they would have treated the boy for shock. The ones closest to him heard him say "no, Harry Potter can't be a Slytherin."

"Where have you been?" One of the older Gryffindors asked. "He's been the son of the Dark Lord since Dumbledore ran with his tail between his legs."


	12. Chapter 12

Severus just stared at Dumbledore. He wasn't sure exactly how to answer the man. He could tell everyone in the room was wondering what the man was thinking. Severus finally just asked the one question he had been wanting to ask for the last twenty years. "Are you trying to get me killed?"

"Severus, he won't kill you." Dumbledore stated.

Severus wanted to slam his head down onto the table, no, take that back, he wanted to slam Dumbledore's head into the table, repeatedly. "Yes, as the Dark Lord is known for being sane." He saw the Weasley twins hide their faces as if knowing what he was thinking.

"We need the information, we also need him to allow that bill to pass. If he believes I don't care about it, it might pass."

"Until he realizes you do care, and I end up paying the price for it." Severus snapped. 

"If you tell him that you didn't know. Tell him, I provided the information after you had left and the Headmaster realized how important the bill was." Granger stated. "I can arrange for an article in the Daily Prophet. I can give Rita an interview, talk about the new ideas for revamping the Ministry. How we want to change the laws regarding creatures."

Severus saw the surprised look on Dumbledore's face at the revamping the Ministry remark. He knew that the man wanted the Ministry the way it was. He wondered what Dumbledore told her to release. He also knew when Granger mentioned changing the laws regarding creatures, it wasn't going to be helpful to anyone but Dumbledore. He knew the bill that Dumbledore wanted to have passed wasn't really to aid anyone but those Dumbledore consisted light. "So now I am going to be lying to him? You know if I get caught lying, I will be severely punished."

"It will be in the bill." Dumbledore reassured him. 

He glanced to Lupin, who clearly was wondering what was going on. He knew Lupin wasn't the only one. Dumbledore wasn't going to tell them how he changed the bill or what he added to it. Most likely it wouldn't even be added until about an hour or so before the bill was presented so that no one would have time to reread the bill or even get the notice announcing the change. He knew Lucius would have mentioned the changes if they had already. "What about the changing notice? How am I to explain that?"

"They will be released." Dumbledore stated, confirming Severus' thought in that regard. He wondered why he even agreed to join the Order. They clearly weren't doing anything for the greater good, unless it was for Dumbledore's greater good. 

"You better have the funds to cover my recovery." Severus snapped as he stood up. He glared at Granger "You better make sure it's worded so that he doesn't kill me." Severus walked out of the Headmaster's office. 

__________________________________________________________________

Severus landed outside of the wards at Malfoy Manor and made his way up the drive. He knew the Dark Lord was going to be furious about what he was going to tell him. He stepped into the Manor, saw Lucius exiting his office. "Back already?"

"Yes, the man is an idiot. You might want to join me as I tell our Master."

"Great, Dumbledore is being an idiot again." Lucius wasn't sure how the man even had followers still. 

"Where is he?" Severus asked.

"His office, he dropped off the monthly accounting. He was at Gringotts this morning." Lucius and Severus started to walk to the floo. 

They stepped out of the floo and walked, quietly, towards the Dark Lord's office. The doors were opened and they walked in. They saw the dark head bent over some paperwork. "Sit down. I think the paperwork is breeding." No one spoke for several minutes. "I am assuming since you are quiet, and here, that Dumbledore is doing another stupid move."

"Yes, Harry. He wants to get that bill pushed through. He wants to add last minute changes, with the notices going out about an hour or so beforehand. Granger is planning on doing an interview about how it will help the Ministry."

"Interesting. I am assuming he was warned that you would be punished for lying and ignored your concerns?"

"Yes. I did tell him you punished me so badly last time it took me three weeks to heal." Severus answered. 

Harry smirked. "Weren't we in Greece for holiday?"

Lucius laughed. "No, that was his punishment for failing to tell you about the Board changes. You took us to Spain last time."

"Pick a place for us to go when it fails. Lucius, make sure the bill doesn't get passed like normal. See if the Weasley twins can find out from their brother or sister have any information. Granger wouldn't be able to able to keep Ron out of the loop." Harry stated. 

"I will let the twins know." Severus answered. "He only had the Weasleys, Lupin, and me at the meeting. I am not sure where everyone else was."

"Just make sure you are covered when the bill fails to pass. I don't want him to doubt you or cause you problems." Harry instructed.


	13. The Power He Knows Not

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moved to the main area :) The Power He Knows Not

Harry glanced at Dobby. "Dobby, do house elves have any problem going through wards?"

"No, Harry Potter. We can get through anything." 

"So, how do the house elves feel about Voldie?" 

"Most fear him, Harry Potter, Sir, they don't want to go near him, but he has a few that serve him." Dobby responded. Dobby and Harry had been hiding in this tent for a week already, before that they were about a 60 km away, they had walked here, hiding as they made their way. 

"Dobby, I have an idea." Harry grinned. 

Dobby started bouncing, "yes, Harry Potter, Sir, what is your idea? I will help."

"Good. My idea is simple, you bring me any house elf willing to get rid of Voldie, I have a lot of work for them."

"I will, Dobby will bring lots of house elves for Harry Potter." Dobby danced away.

Harry grinned and sent a coded message. 

__________________________________________________________________

Harry looked at the eleven house elves in front of him. "We are looking for Horcruxes."

The house elves gasped. "Bad magic, very bad magic." A few muttered.

"Exactly. We need to find them. I have a way to destroy them, and after all of them are gone, we can get rid of Voldie." He eyed Dobby, Kreacher, and Winky. "Dobby will be the one to speak to if you find one. We need to find a way to get a way to track Voldie's magic."

Kreacher stepped forward. "I knows."

"Kreacher?" Harry asked. 

"You promise to destroy bad magics?"

"Yes, Kreacher." 

At those words Kreacher disappeared with a pop and returned a few seconds later, holding a locket. "Bad magics. Killed my Reggie."

Harry took the locket. "How do we trace Voldie's magic?"

"You don't, we do." An elderly house elf stepped up. "We will touch, and find."

Harry nodded as watched as each of the house elves touched the locket and disappeared, except for Kreacher. "You want to do it?"

Kreacher's eyes went big. "Me?"

"Yes, I have some Basilisk Venom that will do it." 

"Yes, I do." Kreacher answered.

Harry laid the locket on the ground and went to his small endless backpack. He pulled out the phial of poison. He handed it to Kreacher. "It won't take much to do it. Just pour a drop or two on it. Move away after that, the soul piece will be furious."

Kreacher obeyed and jumped back as the locket started screaming in pain, and they watched the black form come out of the locket and start to shrivel up. Kreacher looked at Harry. "We do the rest."

"Yes, we will do the rest." He was extremely glad he had ignored Dumbledore's advice and gotten a medical exam at Gringotts and discovered the Horcrux in him. They had removed it, and he had spent a week recovering.


	14. Angel and Devil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> moved to main area...Angel and Devil

Harry glared at Dumbledore. "This will protect each of you."

"Albus, you know we hate each other." 

Harry still didn't speak, he was already forming a plan. Harry had read a lot about marriage contracts, agreements, and bonds. "As I stated, this bond will work regardless. All we need to do is have you each sign after I perform the ceremony." 

"I want to read it." Severus snapped. He wasn't signing anything from Dumbledore without reading it.

"Of course, I have copies here for both of you. The ceremony will be held at midnight, to give us the blessing of Magic, and the moon." Dumbledore smiled at them. 

Harry took the contract, he skimmed down the front page until he found the rules and clauses. He noticed a few thing that he could and would use to make sure he was going to get his way, not Snape or Dumbledore. Harry rose and without saying a word left the Headmaster's office. He did hear Snape comment of "this is one of your most idiotic ideas." Harry agreed.

____________________________________________________________________

Harry grinned as he entered Gringotts. He walked over to Griphook's desk. "Griphook, I greet you this fine day, and wish to discuss something important if you have the time."

"Mr. Potter, of course. Step into one of our conference offices." Griphook wondered what Harry was here for. He just visited before school started.

"It appears Dumbledore wants to interfere with my life again." Harry pulled out the contract and handed it to Griphook. "I believe if I have read it correctly, that I need to take control of my family line."

Griphook read through the contract, he glanced up. "This is a simple magical binding contract that states the one with the most power, via Wizengamot seats and titles, is in charge of the relationship. I happen to know Lord Prince took up his seats earlier this month, as Dumbledore brought him here to claim them."

"So he had to have been planning this for a while." 

"Yes, as he made a point of asking if you had claimed any of your titles. As you know, you were declared an adult by the Ministry because of the Triwizard Tournament, followed by their trial for your underage magic."

Harry grinned. "Can we set it up so that I can officially claim my seats this Saturday at 11:45 PM?"

"That we can. If you take the rings today, we can submit the changes with our filing the day before. Since it will be a Friday, no one will be able to review it until Monday." Griphook asked. 

"Will that cover that contract?" Harry asked. 

"Yes, as Magic, herself, will adjust it once the ceremony is performed. That is why, as you can tell, the names of the who is in charge, the titles, and even where you will live is blank. Magic fills it out based on the ceremony." 

Harry smirked. "I believe this will be an interesting bonding. You are invited if you wish to attend."

"I would be honored." Griphook was looking forward to seeing the old man's face when his plans backfired. He summoned the necessary paperwork and rings. Dumbledore had never asked about the Inheritance Test Harry had taken and he knew the man was going to be in for a huge surprise.

_________________________________________________________________

Saturday 11:45 PM

Harry pulled the chain he had been wearing around his neck out from under his robes. He undid the hook and removed his rings. He smirked as he saw some of the rings' magic merge them to similar rings, as they did in Griphook's office.

"Harry, it's time." Ron stated. "Man, I can't believe Dumbledore is doing this."

"I can." Harry answered. He knew Ron was being paid by Dumbledore, as well as Hermione, to keep him from knowing how the wizarding world worked, the customs, the rules of their society, and even basic knowledge. They were going to be in for a huge surprise.

Harry entered the Great Hall. He almost threw up. It looked like Molly Weasley had decorated the hall and she must have used a sick Gryffindor, for the room was full of nothing but red and gold. He walked down the aisle, he could see he wasn't the only one feeling sick from the colorful room. 

Severus was already standing by the where the Head Table normally was. The man was dressed in black, as was Harry. He refused to wear the maroon robes that were placed in his room. He was thankful he had already bought new robes. His robes were black, with silver thread. On his chest, hidden, where his house crests. 

He stood in front of Dumbledore. "Lovely, lovely, now we shall begin." Dumbledore pulled out the contract and laid it down. "Do you clearly state that you are marrying of your own free will?"

"Regretfully." Harry mumbled as Severus stated "sadly." Dumbledore coughed. They changed their answer to yes.

Dumbledore picked up four ribbons, from the table behind him. He laid them on the altar. "Harry, Severus, know now before you go further, that since your lives have crossed in this life, you have formed eternal and sacred bonds. As you seek to enter this state of matrimony you should strive to make real the ideals that to you, give meaning this ceremony and to the institution of marriage. With full awareness, know that within these walls you are not only declaring your intent to be handfasted before your friends and family, but you speak that intent also to your creative higher powers. The promises made today and the ties that are bound here greatly strengthen your union and will cross the years and lives of each soul’s growth." He picked up Phoenix feather quill. "Do you still seek to enter this ceremony?"

Harry and Severus glared at each other as they replied. "Yes." 

Dumbledore held out a quill to Severus. Everyone waited as the man read the contract and signed. Severus handed the quill to Harry. Harry took his time and read the contract. He made sure Dumbledore didn't slip anything in and finally signed.

"In many cultures, it is believed that the human soul shares characteristics with all things divine. It is this belief which assigned virtues to the four cardinal directions; East, South, West, and North. It is according to this belief that we align ourselves with these elements. Each of these blessings from the four cardinal directions emphasizes those things which will help you build a happy and successful union." Dumbledore looked up from the book he was reading from. "Guests, please stand and face the four directions as we call upon the magic of this union."

Everyone rose and faced East. "Blessed be this union with the gifts of the East and the element of Air, for openness and breath, communication of the heart, and purity of the mind and body. From the east, you receive the gift of a new beginning with the rising of each Sun and the understanding that each day is a new opportunity for growth." 

Everyone faced South. "Blessed be this union with the gifts of the South and the element of fire, for energy, passion, creativity and the warmth of a loving home. From the fire within you generate light, which you will share with one another in even the darkest of times."

Everyone moved to face West. "Blessed be this union with the gifts of the West, the element of water, for your capacity to feel emotion. In marriage, you offer absolute trust to one another, and vow to keep your hearts open in sorrow as well as joy."

Everyone now faced North. "Blessed be this union with the gifts of the North, the element of earth, which provides sustenance, fertility, and security. The earth will feed and enrich you, and help you to build a stable home to which you may always return." Everyone now sat down. 

"Harry, Severus, I bid you look into each others' eyes." Dumbledore didn't pause for an answer, for fear of what either man would respond. "Will you honor and respect one another, and seek to never break that honor?"

"We will." Dumbledore draped the first cord over their hands. 

"The first binding is made." He announced. Harry glared at the man, as Severus sneered.

"Will you share each other’s pain and seek to ease it?" 

"We will." The not remained unsaid as the second cord was draped over the hands. 

"The second binding is made." Dumbledore announced. "Will you share the burdens of each so that your spirits may grow in this union?"

"We will." The third cord was draped over the hands.

"The third binding is made. Will you share each other’s laughter, and look for the brightness in life and the positive in each other?"

"We will." The fourth cord was draped over the hands.

"The fourth binding is made." Dumbledore tied the four ribbons. "Severus, Harry, as your hands are bound together now, so your lives and spirits are joined in a union of love and trust. Above you are the stars and below you is the earth. Like the stars, your love should be a constant source of light, and like the earth, a firm foundation from which to grow." Dumbledore picked up his wand, placing it on the knot of the ribbons. "So mote it be."

"So mote it be." Magic flair to life and flowed around the couple and everyone watched as it disappeared into the contract. Harry smirked as his robes now displayed all of his titles versus Severus' one title. Severus was staring at the crests that appeared, as the ribbons broke away. 

"Albus." Severus snarled, ignoring everyone stepping forward to welcome the new couple. Dumbledore snatched the contract up. The man's face was one Harry was going to remember forever. 

"I believe, dearest, it's time to greet our guests." Harry said sweetly. 

Severus wanted to kill someone, namely Dumbledore. He knew Harry was correct. Now was the time or place. He joined Harry in greeting their guests.

________________________________

Harry and Severus followed Dumbledore up to his office. It was almost 2 AM and Harry really wasn't in the mood for whatever ploy the Headmaster was going to try now. He honestly had hoped to be able to speak to Severus before today, but the Weasleys and Dumbledore prevented it. He had wondered why, but he knew the reason as soon as Dumbledore opened his mouth. "When did you take your titles, Harry?"

He glanced at Severus and he got his confirmation. "You mean you wanted to enter us into a ceremony and didn't inform Mr. Potter of his titles?" 

"Officially it's now Lord Emery-Slytherin-Gryffindor-Ravenclaw-Peverell-Black-Potter-Prince, you are now known as the consort." He almost smirked when Severus' mouth hung open. Harry hadn't added the Emery or Hogwarts crests to his robes. "It was official at 11:45 PM tonight. The paperwork has been submitted for a few days." 

Since Voldemort was now deceased, Harry knew why Dumbledore had tried this. The man knew that when Harry turned eighteen in 2 months, he would lose all those seats. Dumbledore knew that Severus wasn't interested in politics and would leave the seats to Dumbledore to control. Harry, however, was a different story. Since the death of Voldemort, Harry was very active in politics and opposed many of Dumbledore's ideas.

"You were still underage." Dumbledore declared. 

"No, I was declared an adult by the Ministry of Magic, twice in fact. The first time was the night of my entrance into the of-age only Triwizard Tournament. Never did thank Voldie for that, the only good thing the man ever did for me. The second was when the Ministry gave me a trial for use of underage magic. Also, technically, I could have taken my Lordships when I turned sixteen since I am the last of numerous lines. Killing Voldie by conquest last year gave me Slytherin."

Severus actually looked impressed as he listened to his new husband. He wasn't expecting Harry to know anything like that, and certainly wasn't expecting the boy, nay, young man to outmaneuver Dumbledore. He had never seen anyone do that right under the man's nose. He had to give credit where it was due. Dumbledore was usually one or two steps ahead of most people when it came to politics and getting his own way, but Harry did it. "Now, Headmaster, since we still have to consummate our marriage, and it's after 2 AM, I believe my husband and I would like to retire."

"We must discuss this. Your marriage-"

"That is right, it's our marriage, not ours. You are not involved, nor will you be." Harry answered. "I am finished with Hogwarts in a week's time. We will be leaving."

"We must discuss this. Severus' contract is still valid and good for another two years. Also, you know there are Death Eaters still roaming around."

"Good night, Headmaster." Harry rose. 

"Severus?" Dumbledore tried. 

"I have to follow my husband's guidance, it's part of that contract. He is the head and has the head, he determines the outcome. My contract was declared null and void the minute the ceremony ended." Severus followed Harry out the door. 

____________________________________________________________________________

Harry walked to Severus' quarters, and Severus provided the password to get in. Once in, Harry pulled out his wand, putting up privacy wards. "Before you speak, go and get your pensive. There are two phials hidden in your secret potion lab, behind the cure for Nagini's venom. Watch the memories."

Severus looked confused but obeyed. Harry went to the kitchenette and made some tea. He watched Severus has he reviewed the memories and smirked when they spit him out. "I guess we start our plan earlier?"

"Yes, my little devil. I have already arranged with our angel to arrive tomorrow at our home. Dumbledore is not going to know what hit him."

"So, you mentioned consummation?" Severus unbuttoned the top button of his dress robes. 

"Teasing me?"

"No, hopefully going to get you to rip my robes off." 

"I believe I can manage that." Harry was up and had Severus in the bedroom before the man could respond.


	15. Chapter 15

Harry stared out at Black Lake, he had been sitting under the tree for a few hours, trying to decide what to do. His friends, they weren't his true friends. He looked at the rolls of parchment he had received earlier today from Gringotts. Dumbledore was a liar, thief, and Harry stopped that train of thought. His whole life was a huge lie. 

His so called friends and adopted family had hidden everything from him, including a marriage contract to Ginny. He shuddered at the very thought of marrying that girl. He already got it voided, and wasn't looking forward to the call up to Dumbledore's office. He knew they, being those in the Order, would try and lay a guilt trip on him. Tell him how much they just wanted to protect him. Harry wanted to laugh, more like protect his vaults, until Voldemort finally killed him. 

He knew he wasn't skilled enough to kill Voldemort. He was entering his seventh year, the man had decades of knowledge and skills to call on. Harry was barely lucky if Snape gave him a passing grade in Potions. Last year had been hell with the man teaching DADA, but he had to give credit where it was due, Snape knew what he was talking about. 

He let out a sigh if he could make it the rest of the year until he was of age in the Muggle world, and out of Hogwarts, Harry knew he would be leaving the country. He saw no purpose in staying here, listening to them tell him he was the only one who could fight Voldemort. The more he thought of the prophecy, the more he realized it had been fulfilled. How many times must he defeat Voldemort before they realized that? Granted neither can survive while the other was alive was concerning, but Harry thought his life was just about surviving. He survived living at the Dursleys, he survived his years at Hogwarts, with those deadly adventures. He survived the numerous confrontations with Voldemort. He knew his luck sucked, and it wasn't going to get any better if he remained here. 

He glanced back to Hogwarts. No one was really outside, the snow stopped most of them. Harry, however, he liked the snow. It was clean, crisp, refreshing. He inhaled deeply, taking in the fresh crisp air. He could survive the next few months. He knew Voldemort wouldn't plan to attack him in some way until at least May. The man was certainly predictable. 

He glanced again to the rolls of parchment. He had already informed the goblins that he wanted everything returned, all the money stolen, all the royalties from those stories about his life, even the merchandise. He wanted the money returned from the Dursley family. He almost smirked as he pictured Vernon's face when the man would read the letter. Vernon's face was going to turn so many shades of purple, and his Aunt, well, she would go on about him, fueling the anger that Vernon would be feeling. He hoped the man didn't die from a stroke or heart attack, not that he really cared if the man did. 

He also knew he would be getting lectures from Granger. He could hear them now, how he had to listen to Dumbledore, how he needed to be protected, how much the Order was doing for him, how much they had done for him. The girl was fine for enforcing the rules when she wanted but had no trouble stealing from him. 

He didn't even want to think of the Weasley Family. He knew the twins, Bill, Charlie and surprisingly Percy, weren't part of the plans, as their names didn't appear on the withdrawals. Arthur, he wasn't sure about. The man struck him as being under the thumb of Molly and Dumbledore, and entirely naive. He would have to speak to his business partners.

The snow was falling faster now, building up, he could feel it surrounding his spot that he had cleared away. He had found a spell that kept the ground warm and dry, while he was sitting there. It would end when he stood up. He wasn't in a hurry to return to Hogwarts. He knew he was delaying seeing those who hurt him, but he wasn't ready for them as of yet. 

He mind flashed to Snape. The man clearly hated him, yet his name wasn't on the list of those who betrayed him. Snape was thorough in his teaching of Defense last year, and Harry found himself wishing the man was teaching it again this year. Snape confused him greatly. The man seemed to appear out of the blue at times, saved him a few times, and yet. Harry wasn't sure. He was missing a piece of the puzzle. He would need to ponder that a bit longer. 

Harry watched the sunset, as he still watching the lake. He had seen the giant squid a few times and even tossed an apple into the lake. He watched the squid and smirked. Why should he remain here for the next few months? He knew he needed his NEWTs but judging from the funds he had available in his trust vault, he could hire someone to tutor him in preparation for them. He also had places he could live that no one would be able to find. 

"Dobby." He called.

Dobby appeared, clearly confused as to why Harry was sitting outside in the snow. "Master Harry Potter?"

"Dobby, I need you to pack everything I own, collect everything from anyone who has a piece of my property and take everything to Potter Manor. Once you have finished that, come and find me."

"Yes, Master Harry Potter. I will get everything." Dobby popped away. Harry didn't miss the gleam in Dobby's eyes. The house elf was going to enjoy collecting everything. He knew the Headmaster's office was going to almost barren when Dobby was done. 

"Mr. Potter, I see you don't have the brain power to remove yourself from falling snow." Snape was now standing next to Harry.

Harry had seen the man walking toward him, and decided it was time to find out a few things. "Professor Snape, I am taking it the Headmaster sent you to find me."

"Actually, I am not sure he realizes you have disappeared, it appears Dobby has been busy." Snape answered. 

Harry smirked. "Professor, I am going to ask you something. Something I am sure you won't want me to ask, but it's important. After a lot of new information arrived today, I am in a bit of a dilemma. My question to you, is simple, do you support me or Dumbledore?" Harry hadn't even turned to look up at Snape.

"I see, interesting question. May I ask one before I answer?" 

"If I can answer it, I will." 

"What did you learn?"

"Oh, that is interesting. Take a seat." Harry pulled out his wand, cast the spell to clear a spot for Snape. "If you sit down, you will find it warm and dry."

"I am aware of the charm, frankly, surprised that you are. It is after all not one taught at Hogwarts." Snape sat down on the ground. 

Harry thrust the rolls of parchment at him. "Lumos." 

Snape began to read the parchments, making surprising gasps once in a while. "I see." Snape handed the rolls back to Harry. "In answer to your question, I have always been on your side. I made a Vow to protect you, one that I take seriously."

"Good, how would you like to leave here, tutor me in preparation for my NEWTs, and after that, we leave the country."

"I do have a better idea. I can tutor you, that isn't an issue, but how about some revenge?" 

"Oh, revenge is going to fact into everything. We have two different parties to get rid of." Harry answered. "I believe we will be creating a third side, but I want to be out of the country for a while, get a broader experience in magic, while we recruit members. I have a few ideas on who to ask on the light side, and I am sure you have a few on the dark side."

"Mr. Potter, I believe we have an accord." 

Dobby arrived back. "Master Harry Potter, Professor Headmaster is looking for you. I got your things gathered." 

"Thank you Dobby, take us to Potter Manor, and then return here and gather Professor Snape's things. I am sure he has a house elf or two that will be able to handle his labs."

"I do. Grace and Lacy are my usually lab assistants, they belong to me, so they can take care of everything." Snape summoned his elves, giving them their directions, once finished, Dobby took the pair to Potter Manor.


	16. Chapter 16

Severus opened his eyes, he looked around. He put his hands to his throat and it felt smooth. "You're an idiot." He turned around and saw Lily standing there. 

"Lily?" Severus asked. 

"No, I'm a figment of your imagination. Of course, it's me." Lily walked closer. "You're dead by the way."

"Thanks for the greeting. I mean is hi Severus, sorry but you died, and I'm here to take you to the next plane, not in your care guide to informing the newly dead they are dead?" 

"I am sure it is, but I pulled a few favors and wanted to be the one to greet you. I am sure if it was anyone else, they might have killed you again. I am going to say it again, you're an idiot."

"Fine, I'm an idiot. Care to explain what it is in reference too?" Severus stood up, he was trying to place where he was. It wasn't a train station but looked like some kind of terminal.

"My son. I want to show you a few things about him that you missed." Lily 

"Oh, wonderful, I die and get the see how Harry James Potter was spoiled all his life. I believe I saw that enough at Hogwarts. Frankly, I was a bit surprised that he didn't have his own film crew following him around, writing about his daring exploits, and taking his picture." Severus watched as the signs of Lily's rising anger appeared. He watched her face, the hard line her eyes too, the pressing of her lips together. The flexing of her fingers, as the resisted the urge to turn into fists. Lily disappeared and suddenly Reggie was in front of him.

"Wow, you made her furious." Reggie greeted him. "I am here to show you a few things you need to see."

"Fine, if this is the requirement to go to the next plane, let's get it over with." Severus glared at Reggie. He was sick of everyone always throwing that boy in his face. Poor misunderstood Harry Potter. The boy was useless and wasn't worthy of being Lily's son.

They appeared in a hovel of a house. He looked around and recognized Petunia as she was standing by the kitchen sink. He saw a small boy standing on a chair, cooking. He looked around and didn't see anyone else. "Look closely." Reggie pushed him towards the boy. 

Severus gasped the boy was covered in bruises, his left hand was bandaged. "You better not burn the bacon this time. After you serve breakfast, you will start your chores."

"Harry's five." Reggie ran a hand over Harry's head. Severus didn't have time to respond as they heard what sounded like a stampede coming towards them. The biggest five-year-old he ever saw bounced into the kitchen followed a huge man. 

"Freak, where is my food?" The boy kicked Harry's chair.

"Dudkins sit down, he will serve you as soon as you seated, like a good boy." Petunia fussed over the child, while her husband picked up the morning paper and started to read it. "Freak, serve them before it gets cold."

Severus watched as Dudkins tormented Harry, while his parents did nothing. "No food, you had it yesterday." The man rose from his chair. "I will be home after my meeting, which is at five, so about seven tonight, my dear." 

"I will keep your dinner warm." Petunia gave him a kiss on the cheek, seeing her husband glance at Harry, Petunia put her hand on his arm. "I will make sure he does all of his chores."

Severus watched as Petunia forced Harry to do all the chores, and then locked him in a cupboard under the stairs. "It doesn't get better, it actually got worse when Dumbledore kept returning him here after Hagrid collected Harry on his eleventh birthday. Hagrid gave their son a pig's tail, and Vernon never forgot that lesson."

Reggie guided Severus through all of Harry's adventures, the summers he had to return to Petunia's, he watched Voldemort's torture of Harry. "He never gave up." It ended with Severus watching his own death, how Harry didn't want to leave him there, wanted to heal him. "It's time to return."

Severus was back at the terminal. He saw Lily standing there. "Lily, I didn't know."

"That is the reason why you are being given this option." A new voice sounded. Severus couldn't see where it was coming from. 

"It's Death, he likes to play." Reggie explained.

"Option?" 

"Yes, you see, we know there is a lot more you don't know. We can't give away everything, as you need to change the course of actions made by Dumbledore, however, we are worried about the timeline if we reveal too much." Lily looked at Reggie, who nodded a silent agreement. "There are three times we can send you back to. Each time is a pivoting point in both of your lives, Harry and yours."

"The three points aren't vital to the timeline, but only to you and Harry." Death explained, making Severus wish he could actually see Death. "The first is the day he left Harry on Petunia's doorstep. It was the same day you made the silent Vow to protect Harry. The second is the day that Hagrid set out to collect Harry. It was also the day you agreed to Dumbledore's plan to mistreat Harry. The third time period is the day of the Triwizard Tournament announcement of champions. Harry didn't enter and you knew that but you had to play your part, you made another silent Vow to make sure he made it through the tournament."

"Severus, if you select option two or three, it might be too late for Harry to see his way clear of Dumbledore's manipulations. If you select option one, you will have to find a way to hide who he is, one that you might not be able to reveal until after everything is finished." Lily warned. 

"The benefits of option one is that you can teach Harry how to see through the controlling aspect of Dumbledore, you can guide him to what he needs to know. The drawbacks are also something I think you are aware of." Reggie gave Severus a concerned look. "Harry has been hiding who he truly is."

"Severus, Harry isn't really James' son." Lily took hold of Reggie's hand. "He is Reggie's. James and Sirius were in a relationship. I can't give you more information for you need to discover that yourself."

"Option two and three have the same benefits, you could take guardianship of Harry and guide him in life, however, the drawbacks are that he will be friends with the paid pawns of Dumbledore, who will do anything the Headmaster wants to keep Harry under his control." Death interrupted any questions Severus was about to ask.

"Do any of these changes affect the outcome of the war?" Severus didn't want to die by snake again, but if it meant the Dark Lord was defeated, he would do it.

"Yes, they all do, but not in the way you are thinking." Death answered. "You will retain your memories of this timeline, however, you will need to let go of your anger towards Harry, if you wish to succeed."

Severus thought for a few minutes. "Is there a way to hide my removing Harry Potter from his relatives while allowing Dumbledore to believe he is still there?"

Death laughed. "This is why I love those from Salazar Slytherin's house. I can arrange that." 

"I will select option one." Severus answered. 

"Thank you, Severus. Save my little boy." Lilly pulled Severus into a hug.

When Severus woke up, he found himself in his bedroom at Prince Manor. He looked around. Maybe it was a dream? It had to be a dream. "No, it wasn't." Death sounded in his head.

"Are you going to be with me?" Severus wondered if he was losing his mind. He felt pain fill his head and he let out a cry in shock as memories flooded into his mind. When they were finished, he laid panting on the bed. He finally managed to fling his arm over to the left side of the bed, and pulling open the drawer on the small table next to the bed, found a pain potion.

"No, I won't be with you, but I figured you might not believe our deal. If, however, you need my guidance, just think of me. Now, he will be leaving Harry in two hours on the Dursley's doorstep. Minerva McGonagall is already watching the house and isn't happy with the idea. You will need to wait until the old man and tabby leave."

The address appeared in his head, and he groaned. He got up and hoped a shower would make him feel better. He wasn't sure if he was up to raising a child, but he wasn't going to allow anyone to abuse Lily's son.


	17. To Thy Ownself Be True

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> moved to the main area :)

Harry sighed. He knew he was depressed but frankly, he didn't care anymore. He glanced back to Hogwarts, there was no sense in returning there. He touched his arm. This year was a rough year, worse than his 2nd year, worse than his 4th year, even worse than his 5th year. He was tired of everyone believing they knew him, because of some stupid books, some lame prophecy, and even because he was in Gryffindor. He made it to the clearing in the Forbidden Forest, one he had found when he needed to escape from everyone. 

He was expected to head back to the Dursley family in two days. He had tried to refuse but was again denied. Most of his so-called friends had been ignoring him since this was the year their soul-mate tattoos appeared and they found their soul mate. Harry knew who his soul mate was. He didn't want to think about that moment. He could hear the cold, cruel, laugh in his ears, every night for the past four months he had heard it. He wondered what Dumbledore was thinking of when he decided to have Valentine's Days revealing ceremony. 

****************************Flashback**********************

"Isn't it exciting?" Hermione gushed, as she snagged Ron's arm. 

"Yes, just the word I would use." Harry muttered. Many of his year mates already were aware of who their soul mates were, some were like him, fearful of finding out who it was. Harry figured with his luck, it would be Malfoy, or worse, Voldemort.

He spent the next month listening to the matched couples make plans, while others like him, dreaded what was coming. When the night in question arrived, he slowly dressed in his new dress robes and made his way down to the common room. 

Professor McGonagall was there and arranged the couples to lead out her Lions, Harry hid in the back. He was the last to enter the Great Hall. He began to feel sick. The Head Table had been pushed back against the wall, the house tables were also against the walls, decorated with white table clothes, red dinnerware, and pink flowers in heart shaped vases. He was now officially sick, he shoved his hands into his robe pockets.

He didn't dance with anyone and managed to avoid being seen by most as he stayed in the shadows. He had tried to leave a few times, but Dumbledore had sealed the doors, until after the revealing ceremony. Harry watched his friends laughing. He was happy they were having a great time, they had never been the same after his fourth year, he couldn't call them his best friends any longer. He never went to the Burrow, and usually avoided the Order members as much as he could. He still resented being sent back to the Dursley family, but he wasn't old enough to be on his own. 

"Yes, yes, all it's time. Now, we will have all those you have already found their soul mate come forward and be officially introduced, once that is over we will work down the list of those who have the mark."

Harry wasn't sure if anyone knew he had the mark, he certainly hadn't spoken to anyone about it, but judging from the look he was receiving from Dumbledore, the man knew he did. He wanted to curse the man to the moon and leave him there. He clapped politely as each couple was presented. He was actually surprised at how many were soul mates. The books made it appear rare, and that it was an honor to have one. 

He let out a huff as Dumbledore now moved on to those who didn't know. He watched Malfoy get matched up with Astoria Greengrass, much to the annoyance of Pansy Parkinson and Daphne Greengrass. Harry had been watching the two girls trying to get Malfoy's attention. He snorted when Goyle and Crabbe were matched. He wasn't really surprised. He watched Neville and Luna become a couple, which he was happy about. Neville needed someone gentle like Luna. Luna needed someone supportive and caring like Neville. He knew he was going to be last, as he figured Dumbledore wanted to make a show out of his match. Most likely hoping it would be to Ginny Weasley. He couldn't stand the way the girl was always trying to hit on him.

"Harry Potter." Dumbledore announced. 

Harry pushed off of the wall he had been leaning against and made his way up to where the Head Table normally was. Dumbledore had his wand out. "Harry, my boy, your sleeve." 

Harry glared, but undid his cufflink on his left sleeve and rolled it up his left forearm. Soon the tattoo of a silver snake, wrapped around the bottom of a golden lightning bolt appeared. The snake was laying passive, while the lightning bolt seemed to be caressing the snake.

"Interesting. Who is your match?" Dumbledore waved his wand over the tattoo, projecting the image on the wall behind them, allowing everyone to see. 

Harry watched the crowd, no one moved towards him, but from the side of the room. They heard laughter, which soon turned into a voice stating loudly, snarl and spitting the words of rejection. "No, I reject the bond." Harry and everyone knew that deep voice, everyone recognized the snarl that spit out the words that ended the ceremony.

Everyone gasped, Harry, however, wasn't surprised. He nodded his acceptance, rolled down his sleeve and began to walk back towards where he was standing earlier. He knew he was being talked about and he selected to ignore it. As soon as the doors opened, he left the Great Hall.

******************End Flashback*****************************************

For the next few weeks, Harry had to endure Snape putting him down, laughing at him. Harry, however, just ignored him as well as everyone else. Time didn't make it better. He knew Snape had been called into Dumbledore's office because Snape attacked Harry the next day. 

**************Flashback***************

"Potter, how dare you?" 

Harry looked surprised. He had no idea what the man was talking about. "Professor, perhaps if you can enlighten me as to what you are speaking about, I might be able to answer your accusation." Harry found that Snape had been right all along, words were important.

"You know exactly what I am referencing. I will not be forced to bond with someone like you. I don't know why I should be surprised, after all, you are just like your father. Arrogant, spoiled, and thinks that the world revolves around you."

"Believe what you will, I can't and won't change your mind. However, I have no idea what you mean. Have a pleasant day, Professor." Harry didn't even bother to wait for a response before he entered Flitwick's class. He knew if he had remained he would have ended up in detention.

*************End Flashback*****************************

Harry looked at the serene spot. He was tired, so tired, of everyone expecting him to do everything and anything they demanded of him. Tired of them bad mouthing him one day, hero worshipping the next. Ever since that awful ceremony, people have been pitying him if they classified Harry as a friend, if they didn't, like Malfoy and his crew, making sure to remained Harry almost hourly how unlovable he was. He knew that, he didn't need to have it tossed in his face every hour. He had known it for years. 

He pulled out the flask he had been hiding for a few weeks. He had been carrying it around, trying to get the nerve up to actually do something with it. He had found the potion last year when he was trying to escape and have some alone time down in the Chamber. The potion was designed to give the drinker the courage to be true to himself and not worry about what everyone thought all the time. Harry wasn't naive enough to believe that he fell into that area. He worried too much about what people would think, would say, would believe about him. He had been working so hard to hide it this year, but he ended up more often than not, crying himself to sleep since that ceremony. 

The potion was permanent. No cleansing ritual, purge, or even a potion cleanse would remove it. That is the part he was weary of. Did he want something so permanent? While it would solve a lot of his problems, it wouldn't solve the biggest ones. It wouldn't solve returning to the Dursley. It wouldn't solve Dumbledore always interfering in his life, well, some of it would be solved. It would solve dealing with the mess his life has become since the stupid ceremony that Dumbledore just had to arrange. 

Maybe it would be better just to skip the potion and end it all here. No one would find him, so he wasn't worried about being saved. He thought for a few more minutes, trying to decide. He knew Dumbledore did that ceremony for a reason since they never had in the last few years he had been attending. He had to know Snape was his soul mate. He had been thinking about that question for a long time, it usually leads to more questions. He stopped that train of thought, as he usually went around and around. 

He glanced again at the flask resting next to him. Maybe it was time to get some answers and change things to what he wanted. His soul mate already thought he was arrogant and the world revolved around him. Dumbledore, he knew, saw him a tool to get rid of Voldemort. The rest of the magical world did too. The Dursley thought of him as a slave, he would need to change that attitude. Yes, time to change things. Time to take control of his own life. 

He picked up the flask, and drank the potion. He screamed in pain, and passed out.


	18. Love is a Battlefield

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moved to the main area, under Love is a Battlefield.

He watched as Black touched his Severus again. He wanted to scream. He had been trying to get Severus' attention for almost two years, but his Dogfather got hired by Dumbledore to teach Astronomy and Severus' attention goes to the mutt. He thought they hated each other.

He thought he had made progress with Severus. Granted, Severus still always called him Potter and made references to his father, but not nearly as often. He was now in his second year of teaching Runes, with Lupin and his wife, Tonks, teaching Defense. The staff really didn't seem as united as it appeared when he attending Hogwarts as a student.

Dumbledore kept saying how happy the two of them looked, how sweet they were, how they were happy that the two finally overcame their mutual hate of each other. Dumbledore going on about a thin line between hate and love. Harry was thankful this year was over in two weeks. He touched the rolled up piece of parchment in his robes. It was time, he couldn't keep living like this. He was sick of being used. He laid his fork down, he couldn't eat anymore. He pushed back and quietly left the Great Hall. 

The next two weeks passed in agonizing slowness as students finished their NEWTs and OWLs and were now getting ready to leave. He was a bit surprised that he hadn't heard from Dumbledore about his resignation, but Dumbledore hadn't really paid attention to him since he defeated Voldemort. It really didn't surprise Harry, he always knew the man saw him as a pawn. He even had to get hired by the Board for the Runes position, as Dumbledore doubted Harry's Masters. 

He had his bags packed, and shrunk in his pockets. He was standing at the door, watching the last of the students leaving. He just had to give his final grades and he was free. He didn't want to interfere with Severus' happiness, and if Black made him happy, he deserved that happiness. Severus earned the right to have someone that made him happy. He wasn't going to prevent Severus from his happiness.

He heard the train whistle and saw it start slowly leaving the station. He could see Remus with his arms around Tonk's shoulder, with Teddy riding on her hip. He saw out of the corner of his eye that Black was now placing his arm around Severus. He turned away and headed for the Headmaster's office to drop off his report. 

"Harry, I was about to have some tea, care to join me?" Dumbledore greeted him.

"No, thank you, I am here to drop off my report. My classroom is cleaned, so is everything else." Harry placed the thick stack of parchment on Dumbledore's desk. 

"Very good." Dumbledore picked up the stack and placed it to the side. "I was telling Minerva how well you have been doing." Harry didn't reply, as he realized he was correct, the man hadn't even opened his letter of resignation or if he did, he elected to ignore it. "I will send you a new contract over the summer, I am sure the Board will be impressed with your work. A few members have mentioned how well your students have been doing."

Harry knew what the man meant. Dumbledore had never forgiven him for applying to the Board for the job. Since Dumbledore usually went out and hired his Professors before the Board was even aware of the job openings, Dumbledore felt that Harry had betrayed him. He had listened to the lecture enough, it usually started with "my boy, if you wanted a job, you could have come to me." Ignoring the fact that Harry had come to him and was told that Runes wasn't his strength, and if he would wait for a bit longer, he could have the DADA job. 

"I look forward to reading it." Harry knew the man wouldn't be sending the contract for the Rune position if he could help it. He wanted Harry in the DADA position. He had heard that lecture about how it would look for Hogwarts if the DADA professor was actually the one who defeated Voldemort. Harry didn't wait for another question but turned on his heels and left the office. Oh, he was aware he was being rude, and he bet in the eyes of the staff, he would appear ungrateful for not staying at Hogwarts and wait patiently for the DADA position. He had heard the rumors, the same type of rumors about him were the ones he had heard when he was a student, concerning how Severus wanted the DADA position. 

Maybe if Severus wanted the DADA position he would get it now. He knew Lupin and Tonks were leaving this year. Tonks was pregnant again, and Lupin had finally finished his book. Harry had read it and was impressed by it. He knew Lupin had the skills to make a great book and was glad he pushed the man to do so. 

He was almost to the gates of Hogwarts, he turned back, took a long, last look at Hogwarts. "Take care of him." He told her, he apparated away.

______________________________________________________________________________

Aug:

Dumbledore entered the staff meeting and looked around. "Has anyone seen Harry?" 

"No, I haven't. I have been writing to him, but I get nothing in return." Black answered. 

"I haven't seen him all summer." Minerva stated. "His quarters are empty."

Dumbledore frowned. "I see." 

"Albus?" Poppy asked. She knew she was one of the few people that Harry spoke to since he returned as a Professor. She had seen how the others basically ignored him. Even Minerva. When Harry had questions about rules, students, or basically anything, Harry had tried to speak to Albus and Minerva but got rebuffed, with things like "just handle it" or "I'm busy." 

"I need to check something." Dumbledore left the staff meeting that he had called, and headed back to his office. He started looking through the massive pile of unopened letters and found the one he was looking for. He opened it and read it. He cursed. 

"It's your own fault." Phineas Black informed Dumbledore from his frame. "You were warned about how you were treating him and how you treated him as a student." He got up and left his frame.

"Albus?" Minerva entered the room, seeing a letter in his hand.

"Harry resigned, in June." Dumbledore showed her the letter. It was simple, it stated that since his contract was up, he was declining to renew. 

"Why?"

"You are joking?" The Sorting Hat replied. 

"Hat." Dumbledore warned.

"Fine but you drove him away." The Sorting Hat turned himself away from them. 

Black and Severus entered the office. "What is going on?" Black asked. 

"Harry resigned in June. Albus just found his resignation." Minerva explained.

"Why?" Black asked. "I thought you said he would take over the DADA position after Remus left."

"Idiots." One of the former Headmasters muttered. 

"What is going on?" Severus asked. 

"Yes, explain your splendid plan, that was born out of resentment for the Board hiring Harry as the Rune professor." Phineas appeared back in his frame. 

"What plan? Why wasn't I or anyone else informed of it?" Severus looked at the three of them. "Black, you better start explaining."

"Albus believed that Harry would be better as the DADA professor, he is a natural. Albus wanted to hire him before the Board realized the position was empty again, but Harry had already submitted his application with the Board." Black explained.

"He had to submit it to the Board because Albus told Harry that he didn't think his masters in Rune was actually based on his skills but on Harry's new status as the Savior. He actually told Harry he would hire a competent professor and Harry could use his natural skills in Defense. When Harry told him, he didn't have a Masters in Defense, Albus stated that he would arrange for him to attain it before the start of the semester, as he already proved his worth in that area. Harry politely declined, while many would have been furious." Phineas stated. 

"You didn't?" Minerva asked. 

"It doesn't fall just on his shoulders that the boy resigned. How many times did he come to both of you asking for advice on students, classes, books, he even came to you seeking your advice on how to handle the house rivalries. He got excuses tossed at him, and was left to do it on his own." Phineas was glaring at them. "You, Sirius, he is your Godson and a Black, and you haven't even spoken to him since you arrived here. Too busy focusing on making sure Lupin didn't feel that you were upset about his new relationship. The rest of the staff followed your example in regards to how they treated Harry."

"So he turned tail and ran because he wasn't getting his way? Figures." Severus snapped.

"Grow up, Severus." Phineas commented. "He isn't James, and certainly didn't turn tail and run. He finished his contract, and since Albus there only offered him the DADA position, he left. He doesn't have his Masters in DADA, he has it in Runes. The lot of you have been trying to create that boy into whatever image you imagine him to be. He has never been allowed to be just Harry, not the Savior, not the Defeater of Voldemort." He looked at them. "You pushed him to be an Auror, he didn't want that. You pushed your views on the war, life, guilted the boy into returning to those nasty muggles, you knew he was abused, and you made him return there. He did what you required of him when he defeated Voldemort, and yet you still keep pushing and pushing. You couldn't even let him find himself someone to love, or do I need to mention Ms. Weasley, sorry Mrs. Malfoy now." 

"What do you mean abused?" Severus asked Phineas. He knew some of this stuff the man mentioned. He, himself, had wondered why Dumbledore wanted the boy in the DADA position.

"What you think those scars just came from Voldemort?" Phineas glared at Dumbledore. "Tell them."

"Albus, I warned you they were the worst sort of muggles, what did they do to him?"

"The question would be easier if you asked what didn't they do to him." The Sorting Hat informed them. "There was a reason why I wanted the boy in Slytherin, but Dumbledore had to make sure he went to Gryffindor. He sent Hagrid to get the boy and get him his school supplies."

"Hagrid? You told me you would make sure he got someone to take him for his school supplies, I had assumed, that since I had to be away that week, that you would make sure it was another Head of House. It certainly explains why Harry never got the muggle-born books, like he should have since you told Petunia in a letter to keep him unaware of our world."

"Petunia, as in Petunia Evans?" Severus and Black asked. 

"Yes." Minerva looked at them. "You know her?"

"She hates magic. She loathes it. She hated Lily. She didn't even attend their wedding. She arrived for the rehearsal party as it was at the Evans house, and their mother forced her to attend. Let's just say, it wasn't a pleasant night for those involved in the wedding party. We all heard her berate Lily in their bedroom for marrying a freak, for shaming their name by even associating with anyone freaky." Black glared at Dumbledore. "You knew that, as you were there."

"I am sure she loved Harry." Dumbledore replied.

"It's the lemon drops. It has to be the lemon drops. He is clearly delusional." Minerva picked up the candy dish, banishing the lemon drops in it. "I have listened to you for years, telling me how everything is for the greater good. I have stood by you, believing you were correct, however, Albus, you were very wrong in this and we were wrong in following your lead. Harry paid again for your mistakes."

"We need to find him." Black stated.

"Good luck on that." Phineas responded.

"What does that mean?" Black asked. 

"It means that the boy is a lot smarter than any of you gave him credit for. Did any of you ever bother to find out his Mastery level in Runes? Did anyone of you ever wonder why the boy went for Runes when he never took the class here? He is listed as the youngest ranked Master holder in Runes. He beat your record by a month Severus." 

"Don't forget to mention he has journeyman's rank in Healing and has been researching parsel healing spells for a Masters in Healing." A new voice joined them. "He is very good."

"Who are you?" Dumbledore asked. 

The portrait smirked. "Figure it out." He left the frame.

_________________________________________________________________________

"Master Harry Potter, Sir, there is another letter from Mr. Black." Dobby popped into the room. They were currently in Lyon, France, researching some ancient texts on healing.

"I am sure he will keep sending them. Just return them." Harry answered. 

"Newspaper arrived, also." Dobby put it down on Harry's desk.

Harry picked it up and was a bit surprised by the headline. 

____________________________________________________________________________

Severus was furious with himself. He has spent the last two years pining for Harry. He believed Black's plan of making the boy jealous would work. He should have known to trust a plan by Black. 

He equally furious with Dumbledore and Minerva, they were the one who kept insisting that Harry was doing a fine job, and didn't need any guidance. He had wanted to speak to Harry, tell him about his exploits during his first few years of teaching. 

"Severus, you know how to find him." The nameless person appeared in the only frame he had in his room.

Severus looked at the frame. "Sal, you know something."

"I know a lot of things, but now is the time to act. You know how to find him." Salazar Slytherin remarked.

Severus thought for a few minutes. He did. "Dobby." 

Dobby popped into Severus' quarters. "It's about time. Come on I will take you to him." Before Severus could answer Dobby popped him to Harry.

"It's about time." Godric stepped into the frame. 

"Yes, it is. You would have thought with all the warnings we gave Dumbledore, he would have learned by now." Rowena said from behind them. "Now, that we have last of our heirs united, let's see what they will do."

"Like she doesn't know." Helena muttered as she pulled Sal towards her. "Come let's have tea."


	19. Hogwarts' Playground

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning on this one, dark Harry, I mean like hello, let's kill people dark Harry. No I don't do graphic violence, I leave that to those slasher movies, but it will be dark.
> 
> moved to the main area :) under Hogwarts' Playground

Lucifer wasn't sure where he was or why he was a snake, well, fine being snake was natural but he usually was able to know why he was in his snake form. He opened his eyes and looked around, the last thing he remembered was that blasted cage and finally being free. Damn Winchesters must have done something, again. Why can't they just leave his plans alone? Crowley, he wondered what the man did this time.

~Hi.~

He turned to the voice that spoke to him. He saw a small boy in clothes way too big, covered in dirt and grim, sitting under the tree, trying to stay somewhat dry. ~You can see me?~ No one who didn't know about magic should have been able to see him.

~Yes. I warned the other snakes that they shouldn't come here. You should really leave too, or my nasty relatives will kill you.~

~Nasty are they?~ He didn't sense any snakes in the area, actually, there were very few small animals in the area. So the relatives must have killed them. They might be interesting if they were the right kind of humans.

~Yes. Nasty as you can imagine.~

Lucifer wasn't sure about that, he could imagine a lot of things. ~Well, they would have to see me in order for them to kill me. I am surprised you can.~ Lucifer looked at the boy. ~Ah, wizard.~

~What?~

~You, you're a wizard, it explains why you can speak to snakes and can see me. Where am I?~ He wasn't sure how he got here. He wondered how Sam and Dean messed up his plans this time.

~Little Whinging, Surrey, the most boring, unoriginal place in England. So that explains the weird books and stuff in the attic.~

~Weird books?~

~Yes, talking about charms, potions, things I only read about in the library, when I was reading about Merlin.~ 

~Merlin was real. Now the relatives they aren't treating you well I take it?~ He could see the bruises on the boy. He recognized they weren't normal, oops I fell down ones.

~Let's say if you were poisonous I would open the door and allow you to have a field day with them.~

Lucifer gave the snake qualitative of a smirk. ~Let's go and meet your relatives. What is your name?~

~Harry, what is yours?~

~Lucifer.~

Harry smirked. ~My relatives are going to love meeting you.~

~I am sure it will be mutual. How about we got and see them. I am a bit hungry.~

Harry stood up and waited as Lucifer slithered his way up against Harry, and settled on his head on Harry's shoulder, wrapping himself around Harry's body. ~So full out kill or just maim?~

~Maim, for now, we do need a place to live.~ Harry answered. ~Unless you have a better idea?~

~I believe terrorizing them for a while will work. I have a lot of places we can live at later, but I want to teach you about magic first.~

_______________________________________________________________

A year later:

"What is that racket?" Minerva asked as she and Severus were heading to Dumbledore's office.

"I have no idea." 

They were meet by a frantic Dumbledore coming down his stairs. "We need to hurry. The wards, they crashed."

"What? Hogwarts wards have crashed?" Severus wasn't sure why they weren't given a warning before they crashed. Was that what the racket was?

"No, at the Dursleys." 

"Harry." Minerva cried out.

"Exactly, we must hurry."

_________________________________________________________________________

They apparated to an alley behind Ms. Figgs house and quickly made their way to Privat Dr. Dumbledore gasped seeing the house in flames. The neighbors were outside spraying their own houses and yards with water as the fire department was trying to control the blaze at #4. 

"Albus, Albus." Mrs. Figg made her way to him. "They said no one got out. The firemen only found bodies, no one was alive."

___________________________________________________________________________

"Lucifer!" 

Lucifer grinned as Death appeared in his study. "How are you, Death?"

"I was better until some of my reapers informed me that a fake Mr. Potter was killed, along with his family earlier today." Death didn't mind that Harry was here with Lucifer, the boy was actually healthy for a change. 

"Well, Harry had this great idea, and it was getting very boring living there." Lucifer was surprised at how crafty Harry was, and magically gifted, once he removed the blocks and charms that Dumbledore had put on the boy.

"He is mine." Death warned. 

"Yours? He isn't a reaper, and isn't marked as a future one." He had made sure of that. No one liked anyone messing with those they claimed.

"No, but he is mine. Tom Marvolo Riddle did some very serious things to allude me, and it interfered with Harry and his families destiny." He wasn't about to admit that Harry was slated to be his future master, the boy already possessed two of the three hollows, he just didn't know it yet. He had reviewed the memory of Riddle believing he had the Resurrection Stone numerous times. It always made him smile. 

"You mean that idiot who thought he was all evil and powerful? The one who turned my Harry into a Horcrux? That Tom Marvolo Riddle?" Lucifer had removed the Horcrux and made sure it was returned to the owner.

"Yes, him. He actually started out on a good path until Dumbledore got his hands on the boy, he is also very interested in Harry." Death couldn't do anything in regards to the lives that Dumbledore had ruined and would continue to ruin, but Harry was his and no one was going to hurt the boy if he could help it.

"Why?" Lucifer knew there was more to this then Death was willing to admit.

"Some fake prophecy concerning Tom. He has this whole plot going. Nothing that would appeal to you, he just wants to rule. Power hungry fool." 

"Albus Dumbledore?" Lucifer wondered if it was the same Dumbledore he had seen numerous deals with his lower level demons from. He knew Crowley had made a few deals with him. Wait, one of those was a deal to have him defeat a Dark Lord, and another was one about- "Harry."

"Yes, Albus Dumbledore and yes, he made a deal with your Crowley to defeat the Dark Lord Grindelwald and then again when he wanted to attain the Chief Warlock position. Dumbledore is the reason for the prophecy and why Harry's parents died, and why Harry lived, after being hit by the Killing Curse."

"How did that happen anyway?" Lucifer wondered about that. 

"Simple really. Dumbledore didn't plan on Harry living but you see, Severus Snape loved Harry's mother, like a sister, and went to Riddle, asked him to keep Lily Potter safe, it was a reward for giving him the prophecy. Originally, Severus didn't know that the prophecy was about the Potters, and he never took the reward, as he wanted to use it for protection later. So he went to Riddle, Riddle promised not to kill her. Now because it was pure, Magic and Destiny's words not mine, the promise was taken as a Vow, Magic accepted it and Destiny agreed. Here is where it gets interesting. I was there personally for this, so it's no rumor. Riddle entered the house, killed James before the man could even defend himself, after telling Lily to run. Riddle wanted to keep the promise he made and asked Lily to move aside. She, however, voided the promise by transferring it to Harry when she asked him to take her instead of her son."

"Magic recognized the transfer?" Lucifer asked. 

"Yes, she did. You know how she is." Death stated. "I swear Destiny, Fate, and Magic are three of the most confusing women." 

"True."

"Now, when she transferred the promise to her son, Riddle did ask three times for her to move aside. Three is one of the magical powerful numbers and because Lily was standing in front of Harry, none of them noticed the magical transfer of that promise. Riddle killed Lily, and when he went to kill Harry, Magic got pissy and sent him back his Killing Curse."

"That enabled Dumbledore to take control as the Chief Warlock, fulfilling Crowley's end of the deal, because he was able to claim himself as Harry's magical guardian. Dumbledore had to put him with those relatives for his for a reason." Lucifer was getting a bigger, clearer picture of what was going on and didn't like it.

"Exactly. Now if the prophecy didn't happen, he might have become Chief Warlock a number of ways, as Potter and his friend Black didn't want to sit in on Wizenagamot sessions and would have trust Dumbledore to handle everything."

"So, you want me to do what? I know you aren't here because of a fake Harry Potter's death." 

"Correct. I am sick of Dumbledore and Riddle. I will make you a deal. You take Harry as your son, take control over his vaults, everything, teach him before he gets to Hogwarts, aid him in cleaning up the magical world. Stop Dumbledore and I will help keep the Winchesters busy." 

"Body count?" 

"Nothing like Pompeii or Atlantis, I will accept reasonable deaths, but nothing like the Chicago Fire or anything on the mass murder scale."

"So keep it under 1,000 a day?"

"A year."

"Month?"

"9."

"3."

"6."

"Fine, 6." Lucifer agreed. 

"If you need to speak to me, you know how to. Also, teach Harry all the branches of magic, you might be surprised." Death popped out before Lucifer could ask any questions.


	20. Trouble with a Capital T

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Severus is his normal self and hates all Potters. Harry was sorted into his house.
> 
> Moved to main area...Trouble with Cap. T

Dumbledore sighed, he wasn't sure what to do. Harry Potter failed every single class. He knew why and had spoken to Severus about giving the boy detentions, every night since the first night. The boy was behind in the first week and never had time to catch up. All the Heads had complained to him about how Harry hadn't been turning in assignments or if he managed to, they were unfinished and made no sense. It was the end of the Yule holiday break, and he had already informed the Dursley family that Harry couldn't return to Hogwarts. 

He looked up as Severus entered his office. He had called Severus up here because he had to. "Severus, as Harry Potter is in your house, I have to inform you that he is being expelled." He didn't miss the sheer pleasure that flashed across Severus' face. "I hope you are happy as it's your fault." 

"What's the matter, your golden boy couldn't make it, came whining to you about how tough he had it?" 

"No. Actually, every time I have tried to get him to speak to me, he just tells me everything is fine." Dumbledore didn't want to do this but it needed to be done. "Because of you, he is being forced to leave our world, a world you have now doomed."

"He is a spoiled, arrogant brat, just because he defeated the Dark Lord doesn't mean I am going to worship the ground he walks on."

"I didn't ask you to worship him. I asked you to not treat him as if he was James. However, you have just given our world to Voldemort. I never mentioned this because I was afraid of what would happen if it got out, but the reason why I kept him away and why I wanted you to take the protection oath was because Voldemort isn't truly gone and will return. When he returns, the prophecy you heard part of stated that only Harry could defeat him."

"A prophecy by that hack." 

"Yes, the one you shared with Voldemort, the one that killed Lily and James Potter. That troll was let loose on Halloween for a reason. I believe that he is trying to return." 

Dumbledore watched Severus for a few minutes, his gaze hard, his face set, trying to get Severus to understand what the man had done. 

"What are you going to do now?" 

"I am not sure. I have informed the Dursley of the situation and they have refused to allow me to send private tutors for Harry. They have refused to allow any magical folks near him. They sent me his wand back, it was broken."

"What is your plan?"

"There isn't one if anyone shows up there, Mr. Dursley threatened to go to the Ministry and file a complaint." Dumbledore sighed. "I hope you are happy now, you succeeded in getting Mr. Potter expelled, you succeeded in crushing an abused boy, you have succeeded in dooming our world."

Dumbledore watched Severus as his word sank in. The man looked up at him. "Abused?"

"Yes, very abused. I didn't realize it until I read Poppy's report from his fall off of his broom. I never had time, until now. I was signing off on reports and saw it."

"What have I done?" He heard Severus mutter. "Lily."

____________________________________________________________________________________

Harry looked at the notice from Dumbledore saying he was expelled. He glared at it. He knew he wasn't going to be returning. He knew that in November when he was so far behind on the assignments that he would never catch up. He was still pissed about all those detentions that no one did anything about. A detention for sneezing in potion class and nothing was done. A detention for taking notes, again nothing. A detention for arriving late to class with a note, nothing was done. The list was long. Yes, he did earn some of them, he wasn't going to deny that, but how much was a person to take before they had enough. He had enough of Hogwarts.

He smirked. He looked at his wand and snapped it in a few pieces, and sent off a note to the Headmaster idiot, signing it as Vernon Dursley. He was thankful his family was too lazy to get their own mail. He began to make arrangments. 

He had already visited Gringotts, as he told his family to pick him up the day after the train was to actually arrive. He was looking forward to his next few years studying with the goblins, and when he was ready the Wizarding World was going to pay for leaving him at his relatives to be abused, for denying him his rightful place, being lied to. Did Dumbledore not realize that his account managers would tell him how he was being robbed? How he was being denied his heir ring? 

He could wait. After all, he waited all these years at this dump working on an escape plan. He could work the next six years with the goblins and others who would teach him, boy was the wizarding world going to be surprised. 

__________________________________________________________________________

7 years later:

Severus was trying not to run, but he knew he needed to get to the Headmaster and fast. He wasn't sure what was going on and hoped Dumbledore would have an idea. He gave the password and before he could knock on the door, it was opened. He entered and saw some members of the Order already there. That confused him until he actually realized it was Granger, Lupin, Black, Molly, and Arthur, with their two youngest and Arabella Figg. They all stopped talking at his entrance. 

"Severus, I am slightly busy right now." Dumbledore looked a bit lost and Severus could see they all had parchment in their hands. 

"Sorry, but this is important." Severus walked to the desk. "This morning, when I was dressing, I noticed something changed."

"We don't want to hear about you getting some weird disease that most likely is contagious." Black waved the parchment in his hand. "We have more important business to discuss."

"I am sure it must be taxing for your brain to think, Mutt, but this is about my mark." Severus glared at Black. He faced Dumbledore. "My mark is gone and in its place is a new one." 

"Interesting." Dumbledore looked down at the letters on his desk. "I believe we all have the same problem."

"What problem?" Severus was now confused. What problem did these people have? 

"I was evicted from my house, that Dumbledore brought for me. I have three days to get out." Figg waved her letter in his face. He read it quickly. 

"Albus, you removed money from someone's else vaults? You bought her house with those funds." 

"Our lease for our land and house is also forfeited." Arthur muttered.

"The rest of you?" He looked at them, seeing their guilt. He snatched the letter from Ron Weasley's hand. "You have been getting paid from the Potter Vaults?"

Dumbledore sighed. "It was for the greater good. They were to be Harry's friends. He needed strong, firm, light sided friends."

"Except they weren't. Mr. Weasley bullied him, Miss Granger never even spoke to him, even in when I had them partnered together, all she did was berate him. Miss Weasley never even meet him. Wolf? Mutt?"

"I didn't know the money was coming from Harry. Albus was giving me money to buy my potion and other things." 

"I lost all the Black family vaults, properties, and heirlooms." Black glared at Dumbledore. "I still want to know what happened to my godson." 

"So all of you lost everything?" Severus wanted to dance, after years of listening to them all whine about how much they cared about Harry Potter, they were in fact basically stealing from the boy. "It doesn't explain my mark changing." 

"How did it change?" Dumbledore inhaled. His letters had removed him from the Chief Warlock position, and he was now on warning notice as the Headmaster. His vaults had been depleted in order to return all the missing funds. 

Severus glared at Dumbledore as he rolled up his sleeve. Everyone peered at the new mark. It was a crest, the Deathly Hollows crest was in the center of Severus' left forearm. "The Deathly Hollows." Dumbledore reached forward and touched the mark. "I can feel the magic, it's more powerful than Voldemort's was." 

"I am aware." Severus answered. "I thought the Peverell family was extinct."

"The male line, I believe was. It, however, is linked to Slytherin and Gryffindor lines. I am not sure who is the head, all I know is that this new Lord has claimed everything, he is now running the Wizenagamot."

"So what do we do?" Granger finally asked. 

"We need to research, find out who it could be and be ready for the first session of the Wizenagamot." Dumbledore answered. "I fear the goblins won't aid us."

________________________________________________________________________

The Ministry and those who were attending the opening session of the Wizenagamot were nervous. Numerous Death Eaters were now out of power, they had lost everything. There didn't have their titles, their lands, their homes, or even their vaults. They even had a restriction on their magic. They were all heading to the Wizenagamot to find out who now controlled their lives. Even the Dark Lord was restricted, and he wasn't happy about it, but he couldn't even curse anyone. 

Everyone was seated and waiting. The interesting part of it was that barely anyone was in the seats that the members of the Wizenagamot sat in. Amelia Bones, the Minister, and a few others were there. Over half of the fifty seats were empty, besides the normal ones that the family lines had died. It left a few neutral houses, the Longbottoms, the Finches, and a few others, none of them were Order member seats. Dumbledore was seated off of the side of the Minister. 

No one was speaking as they were watching the clock. Everyone jumped a bit when the doors were opened and in walked a tall, very well built man. He had black hair, that was pulled back, he was dressed in black, black dragon-hide pants, black dragon-hide military grade boots, a black shirt that was showing off the man's sculpted body, not that the leather pants didn't. He had a goblin-made sword hanging off of his left hip, and you could see a bit of an ax over his shoulder. 

The man walked to the center of the room, looked around. "Those of you, who are former Death Eaters, including you, Tom Marvolo Riddle, will leave and head to Gringotts. Head Account Manager Ironclaw will be there to meet you. If you don't go, trust me, you will regret it."

All the former Death Eaters obeyed. As soon as the last one left, the man looked around. "That includes you, Malfoy and your son." Lucius and Draco rose and exited with their heads held high. The man moved and stood by the Peverell seat. "My name for the record is Harry James Potter-Black-Peverell. I have claimed my titles, and I won't put up with any of the previous misconduct by the Ministry. I will be calling for a total review of every single law that has been passed since my parent's death. You have one month to get everything in order."

"You have no right." Fudge slammed his gavel down. 

"Harry?" Dumbledore finally recovered from his shock. 

"You really have no say in the matter, Minister. I own the land the Ministry is on, and I am in charge of the Wizenagamot and have the power to disband the Ministry if I so desire."

Amelia cast a Silencio on Fudge, as he started screaming. She had warned the man, Dumbledore too. She knew this Harry Potter wasn't going to be intimidated by either man. "Lord Peverell, perhaps you can explain what your goals are."

"Certainly, getting rid of all those creature laws, doing away with the corruption in the Ministry. I believe I have already submitted the pending audits on the Ministry vaults and those who are employed by the Ministry. The jobs will be open for everyone, not just purebloods. I am sure once we review the laws things will need to be revamped. We can meet together later this week to create the committees needed for changes."

"So what is the purpose of waiting until today to appear?" Dumbledore asked. 

"Power. I couldn't do anything until I was of age, especially with you as my magical guardian. You showed that you didn't care."

"My boy, I care a great deal about you."

Harry snorted. "So much so you allowed me to serve 4 straight months of nightly and weekend detentions for things like sneezing to being late to a class with a written excuse." 

Dumbledore wisely said nothing but Amelia glared at Dumbledore. "You allowed that to happen?"

"Oh, he allows that and more. I will be providing you with a lot of interesting information. However, I need to head to Gringotts, I have some people I need to deal with." Harry didn't even get to the door before Amelia started yelling at Dumbledore.


	21. A Flower Can Be A Weed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moved to main stories...A Flower Can Be A Weed

"Lily?" Severus gasped, as he stared at a living Lily Potter.

"Yes, Severus." Lily smiled at him. "I'm sorry I didn't come to Hogwarts sooner, but Albus wanted me to stay hidden."

Harry looked at his mother and to Dumbledore, the man seemed pleased by the reaction Severus was portraying. "Mum?" 

Lily glanced at Harry but ignored him as she walked to Severus. "I have missed you." She ran a hand down Severus' face. 

Severus stepped back, looked at Dumbledore. "You knew she was alive? You kept her hidden?"

"Oh, Sev, it wasn't like that. I made him take a Vow, after that night. I thought it would be best for Harry to be able to use the Blood Wards and stay safe, while I stayed hidden. Albus agreed, he knew Harry would need to be strong to defeat the Dark Lord. My sister made sure he was."

Harry's face registered his surprise. "You knew what she and her family did to me and you did nothing?"

"It had to be done, for the greater good, don't be such a whining brat." Lily snapped. "Be thankful, you defeated him because of it." 

"No, I defeated him because Severus trained me, hard, for months." Harry couldn't believe this woman. This was the woman everyone raved about, everyone said how warm and loving she was. 

Lily didn't respond, Harry huffed in annoyance. "Do stop that Potter, it's annoying."

Potter? Since when was he back to being called Potter. "Harry, your mother and I believed it was for the best. Now that Voldemort is defeated, we felt it was time for her to return and claim the mantle of Lady Potter." 

So that why. Harry didn't want to burst their plans, but he already claimed all his seats, and made sure that no one could get into his vaults, there were parslewards on them. He wondered what they had done to Severus. The touch, it had to be the touch. Harry knew he couldn't do anything right now, but he would protect Severus. "Yes, I am going to head there as soon as we are done here. Now, Harry why don't you go and see your friends. Hermione, Ron, and Ginny have been very welcoming." 

Oh, he bet, they were just as much liars as Dumbledore was. Did the old fool really think this was going to work? He was going to be 18 next month. He was able to claim his seats and titles when he was 14 thanks to that tournament. "We actually came up here to speak to the Headmaster about my apprenticeship program. We have the contract drawn up."

"I don't think I will approve it." Lily stated. "Severus will be very busy for the next few months."

"It's already signed. We just need the Headmaster to sign off on it." Harry looked at Severus, who was clearly still staring at Lily, this was very bad. 

"Sevvie?" Lily pouted, "do you really want to spend your time with him? Wouldn't you rather spend it with me?"

"Yes, Lily." Severus removed the contract from his pocket, and before Harry could say a word, he ripped it apart, the pieces falling to the floor. 

"Now, you little brat, go. Let the adults talk." Lily hissed at Harry. 

Harry glared, but seeing how he knew he wouldn't be able to beat the Headmaster, his eyes twinkling, and Severus, Harry left. He had to make some plans.


	22. Chapter 22

Harry glared down at the letter a Hogwarts' owl just delivered to him. He reread it again. 

Dear Mr. Potter:

Please present yourself at Hogwarts as soon as it is possible. You will resume your lessons with Professor Snape. You will remain here for the rest of the summer, as the lesson are very important. You will be obedient and learn as we don't need a repeat of the issues we had this past school year. Enclosed is the Hogwarts Express schedule. Send the date of your return by owl. Give my regards to your family. 

Albus Dumbledore

Harry glared at the owl. The man had left him to rot in this hellhole almost his whole life. That old fart didn't even meet with him at all last year, refusing to see Harry any time he presented himself at Dumbledore's office. He won't even mention all the other times he had tried to get help from the staff. Harry flipped the paper over and wrote that he would return on his birthday, it would give him a little over two weeks to get away from the Dursleys, and have Dumbledore looking for him. 

______________________________________________________________________

31 July 1995

Harry arrived at Kings Cross. He smirked at the package he had in his hands. He entered the platform, stepped onto the train, placed the package, with Dumbledore's name on it. He exited the train and the platform. He made his way to the muggle trains. 

\-----------------------------------------------------

Dumbledore was staring at a package from one of the elves earlier. He had already been informed that Harry hadn't been on the train and he wondered what was going on. He already placed a call for everyone to attend an Order meeting, only to have no one be able to get into Headquarters, and now everyone was in the process of coming to Hogwarts. He opened the package, he stared down at the broken wand, on the top of a note. He opened the note, suddenly Harry's voice filled the room. 

I'm done. You have lied, you have manipulated me for the last time. You have allowed me to be continually returned me to an abusive home, knowing I was abused. You have kept secrets after you promised you won't. You have hidden my inheritance, you have hidden the truth from me for the last time. Get yourself a new pawn, I am not going to allow you to keep me untrained and the idea of me walking to my death, forget about it. As for those lessons, you might want to ask why my shields never showed any signs of improving. 

"What is he talking about?" Minerva asked from the doorway, behind her was Severus. 

"I am not sure." Dumbledore lied.

"Oh, no you don't, I have known you too long not to be aware of when you are lying." Minerva glared. "You knew how they treated him? I warned you about them."

Severus was thinking as he walked over to Dumbledore's desk, he looked into the box, and picked up the note, he opened it, and Harry's message repeated itself. "It seems the boy is a lot smarter than Granger or Weasley reported."

"You knew?" Minerva glared at Severus.

"No, but I did know that Granger and Weasley were reporting Potter's wanderings as I caught them after curfew at the end of the year informing Albus that the boy wasn't remaining in his bed." 

"I want the truth, Albus." Minerva stated.

"So do I." A few other voices demanded. 

"I would love to hear it myself." Severus took his usual seat, as the Order filed into the office. After Dumbledore admitted the truth about knowing about the abuse, justify it by saying the boy needed to learn to suffer in order to be willing to die for them, in order for Voldemort to die. What Dumbledore wasn't counting on was Ron, Ginny, Molly, and Granger to admit to knowing about all of it, and they worked on making sure Harry willingly returned to his relatives. Severus had an idea there was a lot more going on, but he just watched as over half of the Order didn't agree with Dumbledore and his views on what he did, while Dumbledore's pawns and closest friends pointed out what was one life versus hundreds of witches and wizards and who knew how many Muggles. Severus was sickened by what he was hearing. 

"Enough, we need to find Harry. Hermione, Ron, Ginny, did he write to you? Did he say anything about his leaving?" 

"No, you told us not to write to him." Granger stated as if that was a good enough reason to abandon a friend.

"Oh, yes, that was a smart move. Take a kid, who just witnessed his godfather die by his own cousin, return him to an abusive family setting, and on top of all that his own "friends-" Severus couldn't keep the scorn out of his voice as he said friends "don't write to him. No wonder the boy left. What connection to the wizarding world does he have? You have prevented him from learning our customs, denied him his inheritance, and even a safe environment to learn, please tell me you actually didn't think this would work?"

"There is more, isn't there?" Lupin demanded, his eyes turning yellow. 

"We need to find Harry if he doesn't defeat Voldemort, no one can. Even if someone were to kill him tomorrow, he would return. It might take him a few years, or a decade, but he would return." 

"How?" A few members were wondering how that would be possible. 

"I can't say." Dumbledore didn't want to explain everything. He needed to figure out what to do.

"Albus, you better start explaining." Minerva's lips were barely seen, the witch was that mad. Everyone could see her getting her wand ready to hex Dumbledore. 

"It needs to remain a secret for now." Dumbledore responded. "I can't allow anyone to know this information before we find Harry. It will put his life in far greater danger than he already is in."

Severus, however, had a few ideas and knew he had to find Potter and speak to the Dark Lord. "Severus, you will inform Voldemort that Harry ran away, but that you don't know how long ago, and that we are looking for him. Nothing else is to be mentioned." Severus knew why, if the Dark Lord found another similarity between the two, the Dark Lord might actually work on recruiting the boy. 

 

_______________________________________________________

 

31 July 2000

Harry stretched as he walked out into the sun. He felt the warmth of the sun, he looked down into the water, he could see the bottom of the ocean from the deck and dived in. He swam to the beach and made his way to the little open air taco shack. 

Harry could feel magic enter the area he was sitting in. He didn't react, as he kept eating. He didn't even glance up. "I was wondering how long it would take you to find me. I was getting tired of leaving you messages."

"Blame Dumbledore. He had me running all over the place. I don't know how you did it, but he found your magical signature in Japan, India, China, Romania, Turkey, even Mongolia, I won't even mention the other spots he found the signature."

"It was a little spell I learned in Egypt. It set it to release a chain of my magical signature from when I was in those countries all to release each new phase of the moon for the last six months. Well, as pleasant as this is, what do you want Snape?" 

"Nothing. I figure I would say I didn't see you. The Dark Lord is winning, Dumbledore is hiding on one of his properties on the outskirts of England. He knows I am here looking for you. He requests that if you wish to return to the United Kingdom, you speak to him first."

Harry looked up, grinned. "I do believe it might be time to return. My boat is only a rental. The lease is ending in a week, if you wish to join me for breakfast, take a seat." 

"No, it was tea time when I took the port-key here. I believe I will head back." 

Harry watched Severus walk away. The man was dressed all in black, and Harry knew everyone would be surprised at the real Harry Potter. He better grab some real food before he left to return to the one place he had been avoiding for the last five years.

 

 

 

 


	23. Lost Magics?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> moved to the main area...

Harry grinned, he knew it was one that he was going to have to work hard at hiding. He was down in the Chamber of Secrets, hiding as usual, from his so-called friends. He reread the spell. It was perfect, but first, he needed to take care of a few things and he had the summer holidays to do it.

__________________________________________________________________

"I don't know what is wrong with him, Albus. All I can tell you is that his magic is gone. He doesn't even show up as a squib." Harry was pretending to be asleep, listening to the two of the discuss what was wrong. "He is still showing signs of abuse, which you promised wouldn't happen."

"We can deal with that aspect later. Right now, we need to figure out what is wrong with Harry." Dumbledore declared. 

"You mean besides the broken bones, bruises, and the list of other problems?" Poppy snapped at Dumbledore.

"What is she speaking about Albus?" Harry recognized that voice. 

"I am speaking about the repeated abuse by Mr. Potter's relatives. Albus seems determined to ignore it again." Harry could hear the rustle of parchment. "I have been telling him for years, and now I believe Mr. Potter's magic has finally given out."

"You're telling me because Albus has kept returning Mr. Potter to his abusive relatives, who have treated so badly, that the boy's magic is gone because he used it all up to keep himself alive?" Severus Snape's voice was that deadly calm before a storm tone. "What have you done, Albus?"

"I am sure we can find a remedy. He is needed after all."

"Albus, of all the hairbrained ideas you have ever had, where in the world did you come up with the idea of returning a severely abused child to his abuser?"

"It wouldn't be his first or second time." Severus bitterness was clear. "After all, he did with the Dark Lord and me. However, neither of us have suffered to the extent that Mr. Potte clearly has."

"If he doesn't have any magic, he can't stay." A voice, one he knew and hoped would make an appearance. Lucius Malfoy. 

"Lucius, I wasn't aware you were here." Dumbledore greeted Lucius. "It's only a temporary problem. I am sure we can have it sorted out in no time."

"I'm sure. In order to expedite the matter, I will have some healers arrive from St. Mungos, and that way no one can claim that we haven't done our very best for Mr. Potter."

Harry smirked. Yes, he loved a good plan, now to kick it up a notch. "No, please, Uncle, no..no..." He felt a potion hit his stomach, a dreamless sleep.

____________________________________________________________________________

Harry woke up, seeing Snape sitting by his bed, reading. "So?"

"They bought it. I am to escort you to your lovely relatives. For some reason, Albus has the idea that you will obey me."

"When?"

"I believe as soon as Poppy releases you."

"Lucius?"

"Did his job."

Harry wanted to ask more but he saw Snape straighten up, and put his book down. As the book was laid on the table Poppy, followed by Dumbledore entered the ward. "Harry, my boy, I am sure you are anxious to leave and return to your classes. However, due to the issue with your magic, it has been determined that you need to return to your relatives. I do need your wand."

Harry looked at his wand on the table, next to Snape's book. "My wand?"

"Yes, since you have been found to be without magic, you won't need your wand any longer." 

"You're going to take my wand?" Harry thought he deserved an award for this performance. He knew his so-called friends hadn't visited him and had made arrangments with Dobby to make sure no one got his possessions. 

"I am sorry, my boy, but you don't have any magic." Dumbledore snatched up the wand from the table. "Poppy, if you could."

Poppy huffed but pulled out her wand. "Physically he is healthy, his magic signature is still there." She was very against what the Headmaster planned on doing. 

"Good, good, Professor Snape is going to escort you back to your relatives. Since it's Saturday, and you can't use the Hogwarts Express, I have arranged for Professor Snape to apparite you as close to your relatives house as possible, and he will escort you to their door."

Harry glared at the man, as Snape rose. "Get dressed, Potter." 

_____________________________________________________________________

Snape apparated them to a Manor outside of Caldriff. "Everyone is already here."

"Good. I just need to reverse this spell and get my wand out. I am so thankful that he bought that was my real wand." Harry sent a grin to Snape as they headed towards the Manor. 

"He plans on giving it to Longbottom. He wants to present him as the true Savior."

Harry started laughing. "How did he arrive at that?"

"He originally tried to get Weasley, but Molly tossed a fit in the Order meeting." 

"Oh, I want to see that memory." 

"Kreacher was the one to inform us of it. It seems he hasn't realized what you have done as of yet."

"He won't, the notices will go out with the bank statements, as the goblins believed seeing their negative balances on their own vaults, and Dumbledore seeing that the Potter and Black vaults are zeroed out will have an interesting effect on the old fart."

"I will make sure to show you the memory when they learn the truth."


	24. Nagini's Children

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> got evicted from the plot bunnies and is now a main story...Nagini's Children

Harry was staring at the snakes in the zoo. It was Dudley's birthday, his 7th, and Dudley demanded a trip to the zoo. Ms. Figg wasn't available to babysit so Harry got dragged along. He had originally planned to use the day to escape his relatives house. ~How am I going to get away now?~

The snake slithered closer to the glass pane. ~You make glass disappear and I will help.~

Harry looked around, no one was in the reptile house, but him. He looked at the snake. ~You understand me?~

~Of course, you are speaking snake language.~

~I am? How? What do you mean make the glass disappear?~

The snake moved it's head so that it was now eye level. ~Magic. Focus on the all the glass, make it all disappear. We wait until humans run around screaming, make our escape then.~

~We help.~ Numerous other voices added. 

~I want to bite that one that throws things at us.~

~Me too.~ Was voiced by numerous snakes.

~If you see a huge whale of a man, he is my uncle bit him too.~ Harry placed his hands on the glass. ~What do I do?~

~Focus on making all the glass disappear, banish it someplace, like your uncle's house.~ The snake instructed.

Harry followed the snake's instructions and he could hear them hissing their encouragement. Soon all the snakes and other reptiles were hissing in pleasure as they made their escape. The snake who he first spoke too, stayed with him. ~Come, we leave now.~

Harry followed the large, green and black snake out of the reptile house. They made their way around different enclosures, people were screaming, as the zoo keepers were running towards the reptile house. ~What is your name?~ Harry asked the snake once they were out of the zoo. 

~Nagini. Now, pick me up. I'm going to show you a place in my mind, focus on that, and you will need to focus very hard on it, picturing us there. Your magic will do the rest.~

~Is it safe?~

Nagini paused for a few seconds. ~No, I think it be better if you picked me up, and we take the bus.~ Nagini instructed Harry how to get to Slytherin Castle.


	25. Dumbledore's Folly

Petunia picked up the baby on her doorstep. She carried him into the living room, laid him on the couch. She opened the letter and was fuming. ~How dare that man!~ She knew her sister didn't want their child here and in all honesty, neither did she.

She looked at the letter, thinking. They didn't want her to teach Harry about magic, about the magical world, or his parents. That was interesting, why? She sat down on the couch, looked at her nephew, she smirked. Dumbledore was going to regret this.

___________________________________________________________________________

  
"Draco, they're staring." A dark haired boy named Orion quietly spoke.

"I know. They have been following us around, again." Draco and the rest of his friends weren't sure why the Weasley family was following them again. "We will tell our Fathers."

Everyone was shopping for their first-year books. Theo, Blaise, Pansy, Daphne, Greg, and Vincent were with Draco and Orion. They meet with their parents. Orion pulled his father aside. "The Weasleys have been taking pictures of everyone."

Augustus Rookwood glanced around, and seeing the Weasley family, he saw they had the newer kind of instant photo camera. He guided his son back to his friends and went to speak quietly with a few other parents around the Leaky Cauldron. Lucius, Theo Nott, Sr, and the rest of them discreetly pulled out their wands and sent a few spells designed to destroy photos. They knew what was going on. "I will mention it to Severus when he comes to dinner tonight." Lucius realized how desperate Dumbledore must be getting.

************Flashback*****************

Petunia, despite what Dumbledore thought, was actually able to see the Leaky Cauldron. She had learned that she was a squib and that her parents were also ones. She had spoken the Goblins after Lily's wedding because of a theory she had heard at the wedding reception. She glanced down at the baby in her arms. She headed for the teller area, quietly explained why she was there and she demanded to speak to someone.

Once she was in the office, she laid the boy down on the floor, ignoring the glaze of the goblin. She handed him the letter from Dumbledore and her Inheritance Test. "As you can see, Dumbledore is forcing us to take the boy."

Ironclaw read the letter and the test. He frowned a bit. "I need to have three drops of his blood to confirm his heritage. Dumbledore is a powerful man, and has been informing everyone since that night that he placed Harry Potter with his only remaining family."

"We don't want him. We weren't even asked. The boy was just dumped on our doorstep in the middle of the night."

Ironclaw's fury grew. "Has he been sick?"

"He was. I gave him some medicine."

"I will have our healers confirm this, we can use it later." He pulled out some parchment, ink, and quill. "I need you to state what lead you to come here. You don't need to mention your past experience here. Just the morning you found him, while I get a healer."

"May I use my own pen?"

"Certainly." Ironclaw left his office. He went and gave instructions to the head healer. Next, he went to speak to the Branch Manager.

"Give him to his family, after verifying the information, we can't have any mistakes. We will seal it. I will arrange for the wards to be kept up at her house so that Dumbledore will not know." The Branch Manager instructed. "I will inform the King."

Ironclaw returned to his office. He read the statement by Petunia Dursley nee Evans. "I just need a drop of your blood to verify your statement for future use."

Petunia cut her finger with the knife provided. "The Healer gave him a few things. She left these instructions." She handed over a note, pointed at the potions on the desk.

"I will make sure they are aware. Now, let's do the Inheritance Test."

Petunia picked up the boy, held him as Ironclaw used a needle to prick the finger of the boy. Three drops landed on the parchment on the desk. Ironclaw healed the wound. The boy gave him a bit of a grin.

 

Harrison James Orion Potter

Birth 31 July 1980

Death 31 October 1981

Parents:

James Charles Potter, deceased

Lillian Lois Potter nee Evans, deceased

Sirius Orion Black, blood adoption 3 August 1980, imprisoned, ineligible for guardianship

Status: Living Vampire (Active, Dominant) -Mother and Father (inactive)

Marriage Contracts:

Severus Sebastian Snape (Living Vampire, Active, Submissive) -Status Legal, signed 9 January 1981-signors-  James Potter, Lily Potter nee Evans, and Severus Snape

Ginerva Molly Weasley (Witch, Dominant) -Status Illegal, signed 1 November 1981- signors-

Albus Dumbledore, Molly Weasley, Remus Lupin, blood- Ginerva Weasley

 

Titles:

Wallachia (Birth-Prince, Lord)

Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (Birth-Prince, Lord)

Slytherin (Conquest-heir, Lord at 17, Tom Marvolo Riddle defeated 31 October 1981)

Gryffindor (Blood-heir, Lord at 17, James Charles Potter death 31 October 1981)

Peverell (Blood and Conquest, heir, Lord at 17 Tom Marvolo Riddle defeated 31 October 1981, James Charles Potter death 31 October 1981)

Potter (Blood-heir, Lord at 17, James Charles Potter death 31 October 1981)

Black (Blood-heir, Lord at 17, disownment of Sirius Orion Black 25 December 1980)

Rookwood (Blood-heir, Lord Augustus Rookwood, active)

Le Fay (Magic - heir, Lord at 17, active)

Emmrys (Magic - heir, Lord at 17, Tom Marvolo Riddle defeated 31 October 1981)

 

 

"Does he know?" Petunia was a bit surprised. She was only hoping to give the boy to their magical relative. 

"No, he has only taken control of the Potter and Black seats." Ironclaw reread the list. He knew the King was going to be very interested in this. "I will send for the current Lord Rookwood."

______________________________________________________________

Augustus Rookwood was a bit annoyed. He had been dealing with the mess the demise of his Lord caused. He knew Dumbledore hadn't been speaking the truth, but there was nothing he could do about it. He was also a bit relieved, his Lord was a bit insane for the last few years and knew the man needed help. 

He made his way through the drunks who were still partying after over a week after his Lord's demise. He hexed a few that got in his way. He entered Gringotts and headed towards Ironclaw's office. 

He was a bit surprised to find a baby and a woman in the office with Ironclaw. He thought back over the last two years and hoped it wasn't the result of that one night he had in London. No, he made sure he used protection. 

"Lord Rookwood, please take a seat. I have a lot of information to discuss with you." 

 

_______________________________________________________________________

 

Severus was glaring at Dumbledore. Dumbledore had the school in total chaos and he didn't care. Students hadn't been to classes in over a week. It was now breakfast. He has been liberated from Azkaban two days ago, and Poppy finally released him, read escaped, from the Infirmary. He was a bit surprised to get a letter. He turned it over and saw the Gringotts' seal. He put it in his pocket, he wasn't going to read it at the Head Table.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

 

****End Flashback*************

Severus bowed as he entered the room. "Little Prince." 

"Severus, look, I got the new potion book." Orion held up the book. "I got the last copy."

Severus made his way to where Orion was sitting. "I have some time if you and Draco want to make a potion or two." 

"Draco is with Uncle Lucius. They went riding." Orion flipped through the book. "Did Father tell you about the Weasleys?" 

"Yes, you know they are looking for you." 

"I know, but I don't look like James or Lily." Orion was a combination of the four parents. Augustus did a blood adoption on Harry before he even left Gringotts. 

Severus, Augustus, and Lucius had already discussed the idea that Dumbledore believed the prophecy wasn't fulfilled, despite all the Death Eater's marks being gone. Severus wasn't sure what Dumbledore was hoping going to happen. He had seen that Dumbledore had books on his desk about soul magic, and when he informed Augustus, the man had quickly ran a scan over his new son. 

 

*******************Flashback***************************

"The scar is only a minor cursed scar." Augustus handed the results to Severus. "He doesn't even have any dark magic residue left. The scar is just going to fade away." His son was almost two now. He couldn't believe how fast the months have flown by.

"He isn't going to like that. I have seen him writing out what he thought happened. He seems to wait to keep Harry Potter image."

"What makes you say that?" Augustus laid the blanket over his son, who was sleeping in his cot. 

"He keeps going on about how we have to protect Harry Potter. He even made me take a Vow." Severus admitted. "He also keeps asking about my former mark."

"You don't think he wants to keep that prophecy alive?"

"It would make sense." Severus touched Orion. He ran a finger down the chubby cheek. "When we made the marriage contract, we did it to protect Harry. James and Lily knew they weren't going to live much longer. Lily felt something was off about Dumbledore and the prophecy, no idea what she meant, as she couldn't really explain it. James had a lot of misgivings. He had originally wanted to remain at Potter Manor, Dumbledore the one to insist they move. Dumbledore was the one to point out that the Mutt would be the logically choice for a Secret Keeper and suggested Pettigrew." 

"Let's speak to Lucius, as I feel you are correct. Something is very off. Why would he force a magical child to stay with muggles, and deprive him of his heritage?"

"When I read that note, all I thought of was he wanted Harry to be abused, he has been pushing the image of him looking like James. He has been expecting me to still hate James, keeps telling me that we were boys and how I should let go of my anger."

"We have 9 years to get ready, gather information, and work out what Dumbledore is up too." 

"Agreed. I know he wants me to remain at Hogwarts."

************End Flashback************************

 

"Severus, are you staying for dinner?" Augustus entered the library and wasn't surprised to find his son and Severus looking through a potion book. 

"No, I have to return soon to Hogwarts. I just dropped by to warn you that Dumbledore is aware that there is no Harry Potter. The letters wouldn't leave Hogwarts. He finally sent Hagrid there, after Minerva received about 100 letters in her office because the owls just flew around Hogwarts and returned. Hagrid came back and claimed that Petunia never saw the boy."

"The goblins used a memory charm on her and her husband when they visited to add the wards. I, frankly, have wondered why he hasn't noticed before now. Those blood wards he tried to establish crashed within months."

"It explains the Weasley family taking pictures today. They were following us again." Orion didn't like Ron Weasley. The boy was a bully and loud. 

"Interesting. So he really must want to make that prophecy happen again." Lucius had visited the Hall of Prophecies a year or so later. They held off because they didn't want to alert Dumbledore. He had found the tag of the orb had a charm on it. When he informed Augustus, they decided to go together and see if they could break the charm. It was a bit of work, but they did it and the tag stated that the prophecy was fulfilled, however, the orb remained on the open racks. Augustus ran a scan and found that Dumbledore had added a sticking charm to the orb. 

"It fits with his policies of how the Dark Lord will return." Severus had listened to years of Dumbledore making plans based on that ideal. It was how Dumbledore was able to still sit on the Wizengamot. He lost the Chief Warlock position about five years ago when some of the Lords died and passed their Inheritances over to Harry Potter. Not that Dumbledore was aware of that. All he knew was that the Lords had passed over. 

"Which means he is going to be looking for me." 

"Yes, but he can't do anything. I think he had the Weasleys there to see if he could find anyone who had the features of James Potter. He might believe a Muggle-born is now Harry." Augustus knew they would need to make sure the Slytherins were protected if Dumbledore was going to try and find Harry Potter. 

"True, he already has the stone." Severus warned. They had already discussed what the stone meant. They knew it was going to be a test for Harry Potter. "He also had arranged for Molly Weasley and her brats to be on the other side of the station to "assist" Harry Potter."

"After having Harry meet Hagrid, who is a rabid Dumbledore fan." 

"Great, if I had followed his plans, I would be a Gryffindor, believing everything that man said, with Weasley as a friend." Orion didn't even want to think of that.

"What I found interesting, is he is also pushing a muggle-born girl by the name of Hermione Granger as being the brightest witch of her generation."

"That is interesting. So we would have a bully who hates Slytherin, doesn't like to read. A Muggle-born he is setting up for a reason, with his Order members staged to guide Harry Potter." Lucius stated from the doorway. "Sounds like the man is going to make sure that Harry Potter only has those he approves of as friends. You know Weasley will make sure no one, without Dumbledore's approval, would be friends with Harry Potter." 

"You say I have issues with control." Orion muttered to Severus, who didn't bother to hide his smirk.

___________________________________________________

 

"Draco, Weasley is going by the door again." Pansy saw Draco look up from his book. 

"Yes, still looking for the elusive Harry Potter, I believe." Orion gave them a slight smirk. None of them knew he was the former Harry Potter. 

"This is going to be interesting. So far Granger-" They had already endured her rant about toads, books, classes, Dumbledore, and being a Muggle-born. "has passed by three more additional times, while Weasley is clearly looking for a specific someone. He has been trying to look at people's foreheads when he passes them." Blaise informed them. "I caught him doing it by the loo."

"Gryffindors." Orion huffed.

Everyone laughed, they knew they were going to Slytherin.

 


	26. Rant*This is a plot and moved to main area

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moved to main area...title Rant

Harry glared. He was sick of Hermione and her self-righteous attitude. He began to think of all the times she had broken the law and never got into trouble, while he got in trouble for things he didn't even do, like in his fifth year, the trial for underage magic. He was getting madder and madder as he listened to her rant at him. 

He had come her to tell her the good news, instead, she was acting like one of the bigotted Muggles. He was trying to keep control over his temper, but his memories were playing in front of him. He began to count how many times Hermione had broken the law, not in any order.

Illegal potion making, in their second year. She stole the ingredients out of Snape's supplies, made a potion that was well beyond their level, outside of a classroom, and with no supervision. Yes, it was for a reason, but it was still illegal. Poly-juice was also a forbidden potion. He wondered why Madame Pomfrey never outed her for it. The woman had to know. He knew Dumbledore had to be behind that. 

He remembered the next time she brewed the illegal poly-juice was when they went to the Ministry, where she broke a lot of laws, yes, so did he. However, he had accepted that he broke a lot of laws that day, and he realized how lucky they were. Hermione impersonated Mafalda Hopkirk, the woman he had received his underage magic notice, also she did the same notice if you did it in front of muggles. However, Hermione also interrupted a trial, and stole jewelry from Delores Umbridge, and helped a prisoner escape (albeit an innocent one). 

He flashed to their fifth year, that poor girl, Marietta Edgecombe, granted the girl did break her word, but Hermione should have thought of another way, especially since she knew what Umbridge was like. The girl was forced to tell, it wasn't like she went running to Umbridge. Yes, he had been mad, but to spell sneak in boils across her face. It scarred the girl, permanently. Yet, again, she got off. Dumbledore.

He also realized that Hermione could have gotten him arrested with her idea to form the DA in the first place. He didn't want to do it, but she pressured him into it. The Ministry was already after him, and if Umbridge had caught them, he would have given the Kiss before Dumbledore could have done a thing. He knew Hermione wasn't on their top ten list, while he had the number one slot at the time. Dumbledore would have been able to save her, but the Ministry already sent two dementors after him. Another thought went through his mind, why was Dumbledore training children to go up against seasoned wizards?

Harry pushed his glasses up his nose. That brought back two times the girl did underage magic, first on the Hogwarts Express and in Diagon Alley to fix his glasses. Defending oneself didn't count in his book. He paused for a second, how did she know that spell before they were even at Hogwarts? It wasn't a spell in their books. He got a warning for Dobby doing a spell, he was able to get away with blowing up Aunt Marge, as that was purely accidental, and when he got rid of the Dementors, he got a trial. Dumbledore, again. 

In her rant, he heard Snape, which caused him to think about when she set the man's robes on fire. She did it on purpose, with faulty information. What would have happened if they weren't witches and wizard? She could have burned an innocent me. When they learned the truth, she never apologized, never replaced the man's robes, never said a word about it, but he bet Dumbledore knew. 

That lead Harry to another random thought, the time turner business. Really, who gives a child a time turner for her to take every class. Surely she couldn't have been the only student to want that, yet, poof, she was given one. He knew that McGonagall had to vouch for the fact that Hermione would never use it for any other purpose than continuing her studies. He knew that Hermione had also made a promise to McGonagall to do just that. However, again, Dumbledore's subtle hints, she broke her promise and took them back in time. Yes, he knew it was for a good reason, a great reason, as it saved Sirius. There wasn't even anyone questioning their use of it. 

He flashed to another memory of when Hermione was able to wingardium leviosa a bunch of restricted books from Dumbledore’s office shortly after his demise. No one even seems to have looked for them. He wondered about that and wondered how she knew the spell would work. He wondered why no one came looking for the thief of the books, too. 

He didn't want to even think about Gringotts. That was a huge mistake, even if it was for the right reasons. Yet, again, no one but the goblins did anything about it. They let a dragon loose. The plan had been Hermione's. He wondered how she came up with some policies. It seemed to Harry that if Hermione had a "reason" she was willing to break the law, but only if she agreed to the reason. 

The reason thought made him think of Hermione when she confuded her own parents. That right there was a good trip to Azkaban. First using magic on Muggles, second, stealing their past by deleting their memories. Yes, she was able to find her parents, and remove the charm, but honestly, why was she allowed to do things when she wanted, how she wanted, and why she wanted, but no one else better have any ideas different than hers. 

Harry runs through the assortment of smaller things Hermione has done. Hermione blasted open doors, misused a magical object, cursed a professor, stole a condemned Hippogriff, again with a time turner, and helped a convicted murderer escape from a school where he was due for a Dementor's kiss. Granted said criminal house the Order for a few years, but what they did was very illegal.

Harry heard Hermione continuing her rant about something, he selected to think more about what she, and at times with him and Ron, had done. He thought about how Hermione basically set up Umbridge to be raped. Hermione did trick Umbridge into a trip into the Forbidden Forest, where the Centaurs were. Umbridge, being herself, was rude to the Centaurs, who carried her off. Harry knew that Hermione had to know the legends and rumors about what Centaurs did. Centaurs are legendary rapists. Their main thing is carrying women off to have their way with them. Harry knew it must have happened as he remembered Ron making clip-clopping noises as if the centaurs are coming back, and Umbridge freaking out. 

"What will Rita write?" Hermione's rant continued. 

Harry, at the mention of Rita, thinks to the time when Hermione basically kidnapped and unlawfully imprisoned the woman. Hermione captured Rita Skeeter in a jar and kept her there for over a year. Isn't that what a psychopath would do. He wondered why Rita didn't file charges. So what, the fine for being an unregistered Animus versus being kept in a jar for a year. 

Harry let her rant on for a while, he had stopped listening ages ago. "Harry, are you listening to me?"

"No, he's not." Snape stepped into the room. "You put him and everyone else to sleep with your long-winded rant about absolutely nothing. In case, Miss Granger, you failed to realize this, this is the wizarding world, not the Muggle world, and not everyone in either world holds your views on same sex relationships. They do not deserve to be in jail."

"Just because you corrupted Harry, doesn't mean you will be getting away with this." Hermione slammed a book down on the table. "I will make sure you will pay."

Harry sighed. "Hermione, you're an idiot." He took Snape's hand. "Let's go home."


	27. Hiding in Plain Sight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moved to main area...Hiding in Plain Sight

Brit looked at the letter the crazy owl dropped into his lap. It felt weird, using the skills he learned from his two snakes he checked the letter out. He usually did so anyway, but this one was weird. He got rid of all the little charms on the letter, crossed out the name Harry Potter, above the name, he wrote Britannicus Peverell. Just like he had been instructed to do. He had another letter sitting on the desk, but he had been warned about this one. He turned the letter over and saw the seal.

~It arrived?~ 

~Yes, Tom, it did. Nagini was looking for you.~ He told the snake.

~I saw her. Did it say Harry Potter?~

~Yes, already fixed it, and removed the charms. I was about to open it.~ Brit opened the letter as Tom slithered up his leg and settled around his neck to read the letter. 

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore  
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall  
Deputy Headmistress

Brit turned to the second page:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM:

First-year students will require:

1\. Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2\. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3\. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4\. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.

COURSE BOOKS:

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)  
by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic  
by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory  
by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration  
by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi  
by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions  
by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them  
by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection  
by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT:

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK

Yours sincerely,

Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus  
Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions

~Interesting they removed snakes. Lousy book list too.~ Tom hissed. ~You read all those two or three years ago.~

~Wonder how it got addressed to Harry Potter?~

~He might have had it hand written out. It shouldn't have.~

They heard the floo sound. A few minutes later, Severus stepped into the room. He bowed. "My Prince, I see you got the letter."

"Yes, it was even addressed to Harry Potter." Brit handed the letter to Severus. ~Tom, go and smack him for me.~

~You know why he does it.~

~I know, so formal.~

"He had been sitting in Minerva's office for days. Since no one can see the addresses of the envelopes, and the elves deliver them, he has been waiting for an answer from Potter. When none came, he actually sent a few directly to your former relatives house, when that didn't work he just sent a generic address one." Severus ignored the hissing. He knew Brit most likely told his Lord to smack him for his formality. He hid his enjoyment of seeing his friend's son annoyance. 

"That explained the envelope. It was covered in spells. I removed them as I was taught."

"Good, did you eat your lunch?" 

"Yes. Severus, do you think he will know?" 

Severus knew he had been worried about Dumbledore getting his hands on him. It had taken a few years to get the boy enough confidence in himself after Tom and Nagini had found Harry Potter at the Dursley home so beaten that if Tom hadn't been able to summon Severus the boy would have died. "No, you don't look like Potter, and the scar is gone. He won't suspect a thing. You have been in Diagon Alley and no one realized."

"True, I just don't trust him." Brit sighed. It was going to be a long seven years, unless he could test out early but that would only knock off two years. 

"I don't either." Severus knew that Tom and Nagini would protect Brit. "Go and get your assignments, I want to review them." Tom slithered over to Severus. "My Lord, I do believe it's time to get you a body." Tom nodded yes. "I will speak to Lucius. He invited Brit to stay at Malfoy Manor overnight on the 31st so that he could take the boys to the station."


	28. The Contract

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story behind this, what if Igor decided to aid Klum and Harry but not in the way Dumbledore would like.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moved out...left a forwarding address of ....The Contract. It's under the main stories now

Igor Karkaroff was watching, he knew something was going to happen. He had been paying a lot of attention to Hogwarts and knew some how Dumbledore would get Potter into the tournament even if he didn't do it himself. He glanced to Vicktor Krum, he already handled that aspect. Now, he needed to speak to Potter.

___________________________________

"Mr. Potter, may I have a few minutes of your time?"

"What do you want?" Ronald Weasley snarled. "He's not going anywhere with you."

Harry sighed, knowing that Ron was going to start his usual rant about the dark and evil. Hermione seemed to be just as defensive. "Headmaster, is there a problem?"

"No, no, Mr. Potter, I just wish to discuss something important. It won't take much of your time. Your friends can wait here for you." He pointed to a classroom. "We can speak in there."

"Harry, you can't. You know why." Hermione put her hand on Harry's arm.

Harry really wanted to know why his two friends were so bigoted. "I will be in there, you will be out here, if anything happens, you can get Dumbledore."

"Professor Dumbledore, Harry, honestly, after all this-"

"Hermione, really?" Harry shook his head and headed for the classroom. "Give us thirty minutes before you panic."

Igor wanted to smirk, maybe the boy wasn't so trusting of Dumbledore after all. He headed into the classroom. He pulled out his wand and went to cast some privacy spells.

"I already did them, in Parseltongue so no one but me can remove them. It will prevent either of us from speaking about what we going to discuss." Harry sat down in one of the chairs.

"Very good. Now, I am aware of your misfortunes over the last few years, as well as your fame." Igor put his hand up. "I have already had Mr. Krum sign an agreement not to enter into the tournament, because of his fame. I would like to present the same agreement to you. It would prevent anyone from forcing you to enter if someone else adds your name."

"I would want to read it first, as I do believe you are correct."

Igor smirked. "You have been hiding."

Harry grinned. "Of course, I do not trust Dumbledore and haven't since I saw his name on my Hogwarts' letter."

"Good. It's a simple contract." Igor pulled out the contract. "I left no room for loopholes."

Harry began to read the contract.

I, Harry James Potter, do hereby agree to keep myself out of the 1994 – 1995 School year Triward Tournament. 

  * I will not add my name to the Goblet of Fire.
  * I will not have some else add my name to the Goblet of Fire
  * I will not work my way around the age restriction line
  * I will not put myself in any danger by participating in the Triwizard Tournament
  * I will not use my fame to have myself included in the Triwizard Tournament. My fame can also not be used to force me into participating in any event. 
  * I will not allow permit any adult into forcing me to enter the Triwizard Tournament. I will not be subjected to coercion.
  * I will not be forced into attending any and all events relating to the Triwizard Tournament. Any event that occurs during the year, I will attend if, and only if, it doesn't have anything to do with the challenges.
  * If my name does get drawn, I will use this agreement to remove myself. I will accept that if my name gets withdrawn, I will be classified as an adult by magic, as only legal age students were permitted to enter.



Harry looked up. "You really think someone will enter my name?"

"Yes, I do. Since I am sure they will, I believe your magical guardian will permit you to enter. If, however, you're declared an adult it will also prevent you from being subjected to his care."

Harry grinned, there was a bit of hope. 

  * If my name does get drawn, or if it doesn't, I will be aware of the fact some may still try and force my participation in the Triwizard Tournament.
  * I will follow the rules of attending, as a spectator, any event that I wish to attend
  * I will not engage in any event, willingly or forcibly. Be it one of the challenges or tournament event for any of the wizarding world populous



I, Harry James Potter, hereby sign this agreement without any coercion.

"Do I need to sign it with a Blood Quill?" 

"It would be best if you did." Igor produced one. He watched as Harry signed his name. "If your friends ask, which I know they will, you can inform them that I was a former Death Eater, and wished to express my sincere apologies for the deaths of your parents, which I do. I am sure Miss Granger will research my trial." They watched the contract shudder for a minute, split into two, one disappeared. "Gringotts has a copy." 

"She will. Anyway, you can keep her busy?"

"I already have someone working on that." Igor found himself liking Harry Potter. 

"So, you turned traitor, yet, you are helping me. Why?"

"Because, Mr. Potter, it is part of the plan." Igor watched the boy's face. 

"Thought so. I knew it was a lie, all the stuff Dumbledore has told me, yet also keeping so much a secret. Snape?"

"Ah, Severus. I am sure after the 31st, he will see the light." 

Harry pondered that for a few seconds but accepted the answer. "We best go, before they go screaming to Dumbledore."

"Yes, they do like to keep you on a short leash."

Harry smirked. "Too bad for them that they are missing the collar." 

Igor grinned. "Mr. Potter, I will bring this with me for the drawing."

 

 


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a weird idea. What if Harry was placed on the doorsteps of the Dursleys but never made it inside? What if he was raised by magical creatures?

"Tell me they didn't just do that?" A tall male, with bluish black hair, and deep purple eyes watched the old wizard and witch leave.

"I would, but I would be lying to you." The matching male replied. There were dressed in all black. "We need to do something."

"We will. Get everyone together, we won't allow Dumbledore to ruin another child. Honestly, leaving him with muggles, especially knowing what that couple is like." The first male stepped out of the shadows. "Meet me at Potter Manor." He didn't hear the sound of his brother leaving to know he was obeyed. "Maggie." 

Maggie, the Potter House Elf appeared. "You be wanting Maggie?"

"Yes, I want you to see if there are any wards around Harry, check for spells on him, and the area. If I do it, Dumbledore might recognize the magic." 

"Bad man Dumby." Maggie waved her hands around, searching. "Health wards, submissive ward, no protection."

"Change the wards to be set on their child." He ordered. "I will bring Harry to Potter Manor, get his room ready." 

Maggie smirked, Master Harry was going to be coming home. She quickly set the wards to the fat boy in the house. "Old man added a set stone. I need to remove."

A set stone, what was Dumbledore planning on? A set stone would require the boy to remain there, and return each year, after a set time frame. It was used on those under house arrest to keep them from leaving their residences. He was getting a very bad feeling Dumbledore planned on more than leaving Harry Potter here and he had a feeling that Dumbledore was following the basic plan he used on Riddle and Snape, without anyone able to interfere with his control. 

Maggie held the set stone, as she waved her hand around the Dursley residence. She placed the stone into the foundation of the house. "I change. Set it for all in house. No restrictions but will show they live there." 

For some reason he never understood, the Ministry never seemed to keep track of house elf magic, and he didn't want to use his magic and take a chance of magical residue remaining behind. "Good. Head back to the Manor. I will bring Harry." He heard her pop away, and only because of his exceptional hearing and watched for a few minutes, making sure that no one was watching the Dursley house. He was thankful he had Maggie trained to appear invisible when she appeared in public. 

He saw Harry begin to stir, why they left a toddler on someone's doorstep was another thing that confused him. Harry was able to walk, hence the term toddler. The things that could have happened to Harry if he had just toddled into the street was something that made his heart stop. Well, technically, it wasn't beating, but ...he returned his mind to the task at hand. Keeping to the shadows, he made his way to Harry. "Harry." 

"Un'le Makus?"

"Yes, sweetie, it's Uncle Markus, come to me." He knew the porch lights were shining on Harry and heard the humans in the houses walking around, no wizards, however. He watched Harry struggle to get out of the blanket wrapped around him, but the boy did it and was soon walking towards his outstretched arms. 

"Home?"

"Home, sweetie. Uncle Nicholas is waiting for us. Maggie is getting your room all ready for you." Harry laughed as Markus headed towards the darker shadows, feeling them caressing their skin. Harry loved to feel the shadows. 

____________________________________________________________________________

"Bobbie!" Harry had just opened his wardrobe to get ready for breakfast when a dead purple bunny fell from the shelf. He pulled down his deep forest green robe.

"Master Harry, I thought we put Bobbie in attic room with Oscar." Maggie picked up the Boggart. 

"Oscar got afraid." Harry answered. "So I brought Bobbie back. Besides, Bobbie always sleeps in my room."

"You feed Oscar?" Maggie placed Bobbie back on the shelf. 

"Yes. Can I take him outside, Great Grandma Doria said she would be glad to speak to him." Oscar was a ghoul that Harry had brought him two years ago. 

"Harry, my dear, don't forget your transfiguration book." Great, Great, Great-Aunt Irma swept into the bedroom. "Also, Markus said to remind you that you need to go down to the stables and assist Herbert in taking care of your pets."

"I know. I got my book by the door, and I told Herbert I would be done after breakfast. I even put my old robe with my book." 

"You go now." Maggie made the bed. "Breakfast will get cold."

___________________________________________________________

Nicholas and Markus were already sitting at the table when Harry arrived, covered in Hinkypunks, carrying his book and old robes. "No pets at the table." Nicholas pointed to the floor where three Kneazles were by Harry's chair, waiting for him to drop them some food.

"Yes, Uncle Nicholas." Harry tapped his leg and the Kneazles ran to him. Harry stepped out of the room, returning a few minutes without his pets. "Oscar is going to spend the day with Great Grandma Doria." He announced.

"Does she know that?" Markus knew they spoiled Harry, but not in the way other would think. 

"Yes, she is going to play with him outside." Markus tapped the table and breakfast was served.

Neither vampire wanted to explain to Harry that Doria wasn't going to be playing with the ghoul, but she was going to actually be providing a way for Oscar to remain at the Manor instead of wondering off. They didn't need the residences of the area wondering why there was a ghoul walking down the street. It was bad enough trying to explain the flying pigs, the Occamies, and of course the Thesals, to those who could see them, and the Hippogriffs when they had escaped because someone, read Herbert (a lot like Hagrid, simple, kind, but not all that bright, but wonderful with animals), forgot to lock down the stables and set up the wards for the night.

Harry was very good about taking care of all his pets. 

They were almost finished with breakfast when Fenrir made his appearance, with someone they weren't expecting. "I found him wandering around." Fenrir pushed Severus Snape to the floor. When Severus went to get up, Markus and Nicholas growled, Fenrir forced him to his knees. 

Harry turned in his chair and stared for a few seconds at Severus Snape. "Why are you here?"

Severus looked at the two vampires, recognizing them easily. After all, it's not often you see twin vampires. He knew who they were, just as he knew who the boy was. "I was unaware of your presence, Mr. Potter, but I felt the pull." He wasn't exactly sure what was going on, but he knew the two vampires and Fenrir could rip him apart before he could pull his wand. 

Harry glanced at his Uncles. "You know him?"

"Yes, Severus Snape. Youngest potion master in Britain, Hogwarts professor, a spy for Dumbledore, was a Death Eater and is a Dhampir, Balkans legend." Nicholas paused "never trained."

Severus wasn't sure how they knew. "Your mind is very organized." Markus smirked as Severus realized they knew everything about him. "He has a Vow of protection, based on you. Also, a very bogus life debt to you. It was forced on him by Dumbledore." 

"Dumbledore still isn't aware of your removal nor is he aware of your status, as far as he knows." Nicholas watched the dark haired man, who was clearly not expecting this turn of events. "Fenrir, he was actually just looking for some potion ingredients. He evidently heard about some of the rare findings in this area." 

Harry walked over to him. "Can I keep him?"

"Harry, he isn't one of your pets." Markus explained but frowned. He got up and walked closer to Severus, Fenrir yanked Severus' head back, forcing him to look at Markus. 

"You see it." Harry glanced at Fenrir, who pulled Severus into a better position. Severus was now kneeling up. "It's deeply buried, someone has been playing with his memories." 

"What?" Severus wasn't sure what was going on, but he knew a few things, one he wasn't a Dhampir, two he wasn't sure how they were finding out this information but he knew his memories hadn't been tampered with, he froze, unless Dumbledore.

"Goblins?" Nicholas questioned. 

"Yes. I believe he will find it interesting." Markus stated. "Harry, send a message to Ironclaw, arrange a time to meet with him today, if possible. Fenrir, thank you. Do you wish to remain for breakfast? Maggie always provides too much. Severus, you will rise, and go and eat. We have much to discuss once you get your memories returned." Harry left the room to write the letter. 

"Had breakfast, Maggie usually gives me food to take back to the cubs." Fenrir forced Severus up and pushed him towards a chair.

"Fenrir, I am sure Severus is wondering what is going on and wants his memories returned. I don't believe he will be an issue." Nicholas looked at Severus, giving him a look that clearly said that Severus better obey or else.


	30. Little Bat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I am moving this already because I know I am already thinking of this, the contract and Nagini's children a lot. So ....

Dumbledore was a bit worried. Hagrid reported back from his visit with Harry. If he could have called it a visit. Vernon Dursley had shot Hagrid, in the arm. Hagrid said he saw Harry, curled up in a corner, but that the Dursleys wouldn't let him near the boy. Their own son was huge compared to Harry. Hagrid said Harry didn't even look like he was old enough to go to Hogwarts. 

He was now waiting in his office for Severus Snape. If anyone could discover what was wrong with the boy, it would be him. Was it all a ploy by the Dursleys to keep Harry? He knew over the years that they had demanded more and more money to care for Harry, so maybe they were afraid of losing their source of money? He stopped his musing as Severus was announced. 

____________________________________________________________________________

Severus Snape couldn't believe he was actually doing this. He was heading towards Petunia Dursley's house. How he hated the woman. Why Dumbledore left the Potter spawn there he would never understand. He found number 4 but he didn't feel any magic. He discreetly pulled out his wand and ran a scan. There weren't any wards on the house, or even in the area. 

He put his wand away, headed up the walkway of such house. He wondered if they used a ruler to measure the grass. Knowing Petunia she most like screamed every time the grass put a blade out of place. The whole area just screamed, "we want to make everyone believe we are normal". He was sickened by the whole neighborhood. He would also bet that there were at least three neighbors spying on him as he approached the pristine house. He knocked on the door. He heard a child scream "Mum, there is a freak on at the door."

Severus, if he was honest, wasn't a bit surprised by that. He would bet the contains of his vault that Petunia raised Potter and her son to be spoiled brats, and taught them that the world revolved around them. 

"What do you want?" Petunia asked through clenched teeth. "We already told you the boy isn't going." 

"Hello to you too, Tunney. I am here to speak to Potter." 

"What didn't you freaks understand? We said no. He isn't going." She went to shut the door, but he pushed against it. 

"Do I need to remind you that I am over 17 and can perform magic outside of Hogwarts?" Severus sneered. "Now, I want to speak to Potter. I will leave after that." 

"Fine."

Severus resisted the urge to wipe his face. He followed Petunia into the house. He looked around, noticing the wall of pictures, he looked at them, and not one of them had Potter. They either contained the fat blob he could see eating ice cream in front of the telly, or a family of three. He could see out of the corner of his eye, that Petunia walked to a door. Why was she opening a door to a boot cupboard? "Get out." 

Severus watched as a small child emerged. The boy looked to be about 7 or 8. He was so skinny, Severus wondered if he could count the boy's ribs. The clothes he had on, were huge, and Severus could see some bruises, some blood that dried on the clothing and skin. He felt his stomach sink as he finally looked at the face. It was Harry Potter. The boy had blue spiked hair, Lily's green eyes. "Potter?"

"Freak, tell him you are staying here." Petunia ordered, her claws squeezing the boy's shoulders. 

Severus didn't even wait for a response. He stunned her, and when she fell over, walked closer to the boy. He stopped moving when the boy started to retreat. "Harry, I promise you, I won't hurt you. I am here to remove you from here to someplace safe." Harry tilted his head, and Severus felt something strange caress his skin. "I knew your parents, and they would have never wanted you to remain here." He ignored the feeling, he knew what it was. He had the same gift, it wasn't an uncommon gift, but one that was usually found in magical children who were abused. Their magic developed a way to protect them, it would allow them to know who would hurt them or not. It didn't keep them safe from their abuser, but it did keep them safe from others who might do the same thing.

Harry slowly walked closer to Severus. He glanced at his fat cousin, who still hadn't moved from in front of the telly. Severus didn't move as Harry touched the dark mark on his arm. "You help Harry?"

"Yes." Severus still hadn't moved. "I'm here to take you to Hogwarts. Once there, we will get you healed, some food, some clothes, and a real room for you." 

Harry glanced back to the still form of his Aunt. "She bad?"

"Yes."

"Uncle too?"

"Yes."

Harry walked back to the cupboard, pulled out a ratty blanket, and three toys. "Ready." 

Severus saw the blanket that had HJP on the corner. It was the baby blanket he had given Lily for Harry the day Harry had been born. He got up and went to look inside the cupboard, hoping to find more clothes or even something to suggest it wasn't as bad as he was thinking it was. He found an old baby mattress on the floor, the cupboard was filled with cleaning supplies, and in the back corner, in crayon, was "Harry's room" written on the wall. He looked down at Petunia. "You will get yours. Karma."

_____________________________________________________________________

Severus had to give Harry a stomach soother on the Knight Bus. Harry was now curled on his lap, playing with his robes. He was thinking of how to stop Dumbledore and his plans. He knew Dumbledore had to know what happened at that house. Dumbledore, after all, had been telling everyone for years how Harry was being well taken care of, how his relatives loved him, how they were making sure he was getting the proper training. 

He also knew that Hagrid had been originally sent to retrieve the boy. That didn't make any sense, as only a Professor, preferably a Head of House, was required to inform students they were magical. Granted, technically, Harry should have already known that, but why Hagrid? 

"What you called?" Harry tilted his head to look at his savior.

"Severus Snape. I am the Potion Master and Professor at Hogwarts." 

"Pr'fssor Snap. You be my Pr'fssor." Harry snuggled into the man and went to sleep before Severus could recover.

_____________________________________________________________________

"He's still sleeping." Poppy explained as Severus and Dumbledore sat down in her office. "He is well below the average weight and height for his age. His back and legs are covered with scars, and from the scan I did, I found a lot of scarring on his head. I am not sure what caused the scars but I expect him to be mentally behind. Not just from the scaring but from speaking to him. I couldn't touch him. He flinches when I get close."

"He sat on my lap on the bus." Severus wasn't sure what Dumbledore's plans were but he knew they didn't involve a mentally disabled Potter.

"I know, he said it's because you are his." Poppy pulled out a scroll. "That is his history." Severus and Dumbledore read down the very long list of injuries. "I've seen healthier torture victims. What are we going to do?"

"Can he handle first-year material?" Dumbledore wanted to kill the Dursleys. 

"I am not sure. Mentally, he is behind in everything, however, he also shows signs of being extremely intelligent. It's like his mind can't match up with what he wants to say at times. He knows what he wants to say but he can't process how to say it. He doesn't like to be touched, but isn't able to explain why."

"Autistic?" Severus and Poppy had both studied muggle medicine and kept up with the advances they had. They knew in a lot of ways muggles were more advanced in science. 

"I believe so. I did a bit of testing while I was healing him. Socially, he is at the lower end of the autistic scale. He won't have problems interacting on one on one, but he will not be able to understand social boundaries, or even understand why someone might want to hurt him. Mentally, he is at the level of 6 or 7 years old in regards to emotions, even speech patterns. However, he does understand complex words that I would place at a higher end of a teenager. It's like he has a dictionary memorized but doesn't know how to use the words correctly, or even able to match them to emotions or how to correctly respond to a question that would fit with the words. A good example is when I asked him if he was injured. I asked him is stomach hurt, as well as his rib cage. His response was "yep, Harry hurt." When I asked for clarification his response was "ribs ouchies, tummy sore."

"I see. Severus?" Dumbledore looked at the results again. 

"He can't return and I agree with Poppy. I don't know why he trusts me enough to let him touch him. I told you about the house, you looked at the memory. I'm frankly not surprised. He could hear the telly from his cupboard, so he could have learned the words from there, and since he couldn't see the telly, and I am going to guarantee that they weren't teaching their son anything, Harry wouldn't have been able to use the words in his life." 

"I looked at Harry's records from his primary school. They agree with what I have learned." 

"Do you believe he can handle first-year material?" Dumbledore didn't even want to think of what he would do if his savior wasn't able to be their savior.

"Yes, he will need Severus' help. Harry won't be able to handle Minerva's stiffness, it will scare him more. Filius' gleeful attitude would scare him because he wouldn't know how to react to it. Pomona, while gentle and sweet, she doesn't have the ability to push him when needed and to back off and let Harry work out whatever is needed. Pomona wouldn't push him forward either, she would be entirely encouraging, but she is too touchy feely for Harry also. He responded better to Severus because I believe Severus knows how to handle abused students." Poppy glanced at Severus. "Since he established a connection with Severus, Severus has the experience with abused students, Harry would do better with Severus." 

"Why don't we wait until his sorting before we make that decision." Dumbledore stated. "For now, he can stay in the Infirmary."

"I am afraid that won't work. He won't like the open space to sleep in. I had to give him a dreamless sleep potion. He is used to a small cupboard, Albus. He is in a strange place, he will need someone to be around for him, like Severus. I can't. If I get called away and he wakes up, I am not sure what will happen." Poppy knew Harry needed to be with Severus. Severus, coming from an abused background, would understand Harry better, not to mention, he was one of the few staff members who had his medical license and knew about muggle medical issues.

Severus knew what Poppy was doing and agreed with her. "I will set up a room for him." He didn't even give Dumbledore time to respond before he was out the door. He would have to order Harry's school supplies. There was no way the boy was going to be able to handle anyone who wanted to meet the Boy-Who-Lived. He also didn't think that Harry would be able to handle all the stimulation of Diagon Alley. The boy barely handled the bus, and he knew it was only because he had kept Harry on his lap. 

________________________________________________________________________________

"Harry, I am going to stay with you." Severus was standing in the entrance to the Castle with Minerva. They were waiting for the boats to arrive. 

Harry was bouncing in place, but wouldn't let go of Severus' hand. Harry had been a bundle of nervous energy all day. He had worn out Fang after lunch, while Hagrid and Severus worked on the garden. Hagrid's loud voice scared Harry at first, but the half-giant toned it down, and Harry got used to the man. Hagrid's gentle ways won him over, but still, only Severus could touch him.

Most of the staff over the last month had worked with Harry. They all agreed, he would be able to handle the work, but he would need help with social interactions and he would have to have someone with him all the time. They found a house elf, named Tina, who would follow Harry around, and they taught Harry how to summon the elf. They found Harry would spend time playing games with the elf, while Severus would brew. 

"They here." Harry watched the students trudge up to the castle. He waved at his new friends. Severus had introduced him to Draco and some of his friends. Dumbledore had tried to get Harry to be friends with Ron Weasley but the boy scared Harry. Dumbledore had kept trying to force the issue until Minerva found Ron teasing Harry, and calling Severus names.

"They promised they would be, my little bat." Severus reminded Harry. They ignored Minerva's snort.

*****Flashback*********

"Why are you living with the greasy bat of the dungeons?" Ron pushed Harry to sit down on the ground.

"Who?" Harry didn't like this boy. He was like his cousin.

"Snape, you know the mean old greasy bat of the dungeons." Harry went to get up, but Ron pushed him back down. 

"My Pr'ffsor isn't that."

"Yes, he is. He's a Death Eater, a snake. All Slytherins are evil. Don't you know that? Are you that stupid?"

"Not stupid." Harry tried to get up again, he wanted to leave and find his Pr'ffsor.

"He is so. All Slytherins are evil, and he is the Head of Slytherin, so the greasy bat of the dungeons is the worst one."

"Mr. Weasley, my office now!" Minerva couldn't believe the boy. He had already been warned about his attitude.

Harry saw Severus and ran to him, wrapping his arms around the man's legs. "You bat?"

"They call me that." Severus answered. 

"You bat, I little bat." Harry announced, smiling up. 

"Yes, you are my little bat." Severus knew Harry was his.

End flashback____________________________________________

The sorting was to begin, but they all knew that Harry wouldn't react well to anyone staring or making comments if they knew who he was, so before any names were announced, Severus escorted Harry to the three legged stool. 

"Now?" Harry looked at Minerva.

"Now." She confirmed. They had already introduced Harry to the sorting hat.

Harry sat on the stool. "Well, Mr. Potter, I have been expecting you."

"Hi. I go with my bat." 

The sorting hat snorted if you believe a noseless hat could do that. "Yes, I do agree. I see quite a mind there, and they will bring it out, you little bat. Let it be-" The sorting hat "Slytherin."

Harry grinned and made his way to the Slytherin table where the upper years welcomed him. "I'm a snake and a little bat." He announced, rather proudly, as he sat down. 

"Yes, you are." 

Severus glanced at Dumbledore who looked like he swallowed a lemon. Severus hoped the man didn't think Harry would go to Gryffindor? The boy wouldn't have made it in the house of the lions. He glanced to Ron Weasley, who looked furious. He knew Dumbledore wanted Harry and Ron to be friends for a reason. Ron, however, wasn't subtle about being Harry's friend. He had heard Ron refer to Harry as his best friend. He also heard about how they would be going on adventures together, how they would have so much fun together. That had been the day Draco and Vincent had been over to visit. Draco and Vincent got along wonderfully with Harry. Both boys looked at Harry as if he was their little brother. He had heard Ron informing Draco about being Harry's friend, not some snake. Draco, which he was a bit surprised by, laughed and walked away. 

______________________________________________________________________

"You don't want to sleep in your dorm room?" Severus was a bit surprised to find Harry following him out of the common room after he gave his yearly opening speech.

"No, too loud." Harry held up his arms to be picked up. 

"You know you do have to sleep in there, eventually." Severus picked him up and started walked towards their quarters. "How about once classes start, you attempt it?"

"No classes, I here?" 

"Deal, but you have to try." 

Harry nodded his agreement and buried his head in Severus' neck. "Bat?"

"What?" 

"Tired." 

Severus carried Harry into his bedroom. The bedroom was painted to look like a forest with all different kind of animals, which Harry had made up stories about. Draco had helped pick out the theme with Harry. So there was even a dragon in the forest, and yes, of course, a bat and a baby bat.


	31. The Difference

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moved to main area, called the Difference

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blame rozielrie....she sent me the idea...I just had fun.

Lily was beaming with pride, walking their son to Hogwarts. James was on the other side of her son. The boy was holding each of their hands. Today was going to be great, they were giving their five-year-old son, who was their pride and joy, a tour of Hogwarts. 

James had been filling their son's head with all his tales about his time at Hogwarts. How much fun him and his Uncles Sirius and Remus had during their school days. How amazing the Quidditch pitch was. How incredible the Hogwarts was. Which was true in her eyes. 

Dumbledore had invited them to the Halloween Feast. It had been four years since Voldemort's demise and they wanted to enjoy Hogwarts' Halloween Feast. Dumbledore and James had spent the last two weeks rehashing all the different Hogwarts' Feasts, the food, the candle, and, much to her dismay, the pranks. 

Lily had stopped James from bringing any pranks, but she knew she most likely missed something. She glanced down to her son, hoping that James didn't try to smuggle a prank in using their child. 

"Mummy, I want that." 

Lily looked to where her precious son was pointing. "That I believe is Hagrid's dog, Fang."

"I want him."

"How about you go and pet him." Lily compromised. There was no way she was going to allow anything that big into her house. 

"I want him!" 

"Prongslet, what is your favorite treat you want tonight?" 

"Chocolate Frog, no, Ice mice, no, all of them." 

"That's my boy." James picked up his son. "If you look over there, you can see the Quidditch pitch." 

"I want to fly!"

"Tomorrow, we don't want to miss all the students in their costumes. We might even miss someone getting pranked."

"I want costume." 

"I have it." Lily smiled. "You are going to be a baby deer, while I am a doe, and your daddy is a stag."

"I be Prongslet?" 

"Yes, you are my Prongslet." Lily ran a hand through her son's messy locks. She had tried everything to tame it.

Lily kept smiling as she listened to James and her son gush over Hogwarts. They were almost to the front doors, which stood opened. She knew it was going to be a great night. Remus and Sirus should already be here. She knew the Weasleys were also coming. Well, most of those who were in the Order would be coming. After all, they were celebrating her baby. 

Everyone should already be at the Feast, she knew. They had time for her to cast the spells for their costumes, make a great entrance, and not miss anything important. Once they arrived, the event would start. She had practiced her surprise and awe look for all the people who would greet her son. 

They were quickly changed and were heading to the Great Hall. The doors were opened. She checked one last time to make sure everything was perfect. She nodded her acceptance and they made their entrance. She smiled her perfect smile as everyone turned and watched them enter. 

"Daddy, Daddy, look me little bat, you big bat." A voice from behind her shouted. Everyone laughed, as she turned and watched, with loathing, her useless former son enter the Great Hall, with one of the older students. Her useless former son was dressed as a little fruit bat and started running towards her James. 

Her baby boy started crying as the little runt ran by her James and up to Severus Snape, who was dressed as a bigger fruit bat. "Indeed." Severus laughed as he picked up Harry Snape. "So only fruit tonight?" Severus didn't even acknowledge her as he turned and headed up to the Head Table. 

James picked up his crying son, as Dumbledore rose. "James, Lily, Jamie, how nice of you to join us. Come, come, Jamie, how about a lemon drop?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can u imagine baby harry squealing calling sev dada/papa when visiting hogwarts *grins* in the grand hall full of students/staff with james on the side while lily holding harry hahaha  
> Oh their face eyes wide open,mouth open ro the floor hahaha  
> Dumbles twinkling eyes and lily is just smiling to the chaos harry brings(she might be pissed with james so she tells harry to call sev that hahaha)


	32. Letter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moved to main area, letter.

Dear Dummy and his Order of Fried Flamingos:

Hey, just thought I would give you an update on the status of the war. Really, it's not a big update, but you really should be expecting it. You LOST!

You see, I haven't been on your side ever since I got kidnapped, not that any of you noticed, after my fourth year. At first, I was a bit afraid, I mean, honestly, he had tried to kill me a few times already. However, I loved it here. Three meals a day, not being beating, not being locked up, not being neglected. That was a bit of a surprise. 

Oh, don't try and say you didn't know. You did. How could you not? You had to send Hagrid to get me after my relatives ran with me. I know Madam Pomfrey informed you about the abuse, I saw you use a memory charm on her.

I know Molly Weasley did nothing when the Twins and I pointed out the bars in the back of the Weasley's car when they had to rescue me. Molly even sent me food every holiday so I could survive. How normal is that?

What really amazed me was I got a real bedroom. I wasn't sleeping in a boot cupboard or someone junk room. I was able to sleep without being woken up by someone beating you and demanding you make their breakfast. I wasn't given an impossible list of chores to do, knowing I would fail to complete it and get beaten for not finishing. 

I was even given books, have my questions answered. I was able to do my holiday assignments. 

I was given clothes that actually fit me. I was able to go out and explore Diagon Alley, explore other magical areas. 

I even paid a visit to Gringotts. I have to say I was a bit surprised at how much you were paying my so-called friends and Molly. I mean, honestly, it was a bit much. Ron has the brains of a flea, and all it takes to get him away from me was to have him toss a hissy fit because he couldn't afford to buy something that I was given. Hermione, she was even easier. I just made up a list of interesting questions and off she went to the library. Ginny, even easier than my so called best friends. I just had to introduce to someone who might have a title or money. There is a reason she earned the name Easy Breeze Weasley. 

I should also thank you for "forcing" Severus and me into Redimial Potion lessons. It certainly made my learning a lot easier as we didn't have to hide us spending time together. I should inform you that those "visions" are as fake as my "alliance" with the Light side. 

Sirius and Remus wanted me to ask if you want your stuff from Grimmauld Place back? Oh, that is right, you most likely think that Bella sent Sirius through the Veil. A good bit of acting on all of our parts, and incredible illusion by Remus. 

I hope by now you realize the "spies" you thought you had in Tom's camp were actually on our side. Arthur, the twins, Bill, and Charlie have already removed Molly, Ron, and Ginny from the family. We wanted to make sure you knew exactly what happened. 

So now you have nothing. Hogwarts has a new Headmaster, it's me. Severus, my darling husband, is now the Deputy. I won't bother with filling you in on who will take what posts. You will find that out soon. 

Tom and Lucius wanted me to warn you not to return to Britain. I wouldn't remain in Europe too much longer, the ICW is a bit upset with you. I wasn't going to inform you, but I really don't want those who blindly followed you to be hurt when they try to defend you.

Well, I have to go, Ministry party to celebrate my father's new appointment as Minister. Minister Riddle has a nice ring to it.

Lord Harry Potter


	33. Chapter 33

Harry was sitting on the floor in his cousin's second bedroom, staring out of the bars. When a strange thing popped in front of him. It handed him a letter and was gone. Harry was a confused. Who would be sending him a letter? He wasn't as stupid as Dumbledore and Snape expected him to believe. He knew something was strange the day in the library when he heard two older Muggle-born students discussing their Hogwart's letters. One of them had a sibling who had gotten their letter over the summer. The older brother was complaining because his brother just threw it away. The other student had been a little surprised and asked what happened after that. The older brother laughed and said it took his parents two weeks to realize his brother didn't get a letter and asked him about it. When they heard what happened they used the older brother's owl to write a letter. The older brother explained how three days before school was to start, his brother finally agreed to meet with a professor. 

Harry stopped listening after that. He started to think about his own experience, which lead to Hagrid. He spent the next month looking for answers. He was a bit shocked to learn that you could refuse Hogwarts by not even opening the letter. 

After that, he read Hogwarts: A History. He didn't let Hermione know after he read about not doing magic outside of school. That made him wonder why was Hermione able to do it? Why was she able to fix his glasses? That just lead him to question Ron's appearance in the train. He questioned the way he got onto the platform. Molly Weasley was clearly breaking the law loudly mentioning muggles and platform 9 3/4.

He flipped the letter over. Nothing outstanding about it. No name, no hint at who wrote it. He flipped it over, laid it on the floor. He grabbed the ratty blanket off of the broken bed and covered his mouth and nose. He opened the letter. Nothing happened. Good sign. He picked the envelope up and pulled out the letter. 

Potter

You might want to research who put you with the muggles. Another line of interesting research is Dumbledore's childhood in Godric' Hollow.

Friend 

Harry reread the letter, trying to recognize the writing. Nothing was familiar. It looked exactly what the books showed when they gave examples of what writing with a quill looked like. The first question was one he wanted to know for a while. The second was interesting, as he knew his parents were killed in Godric's Hollow.

___________________________________________________________________________

Harry was curled up on his bed in the dorm. Ron wasn't speaking to him, still. Hermione was doing the I understand both sides of the issue, and I am not sure who to support. He told her to go and hang with Ron. In reality, he was losing patience with both of them. They were always trying to drag him off to do what they wanted and never listened to him. 

He heard a pop and the strange house elf from the summer appeared, dropped a letter on his bed and was gone. He was a bit confused by this as Dobby certainly didn't act like that. Harry realized he didn't have a lot of experience with house elves to truly judge.

He closed his curtain, used his wand to cast some detection spells. He opened the letter as it came up clean. 

Potter

I hope you researched. Find out about Tom Marvolo Riddle. Stay away from Lockhart. He will get you killed.

Friend

________________________________________________________________________________

Harry glared at Ron. "I am not going to go to Lockhart. We need Snape or someone else." He remembered the warning. 

"It's my sister!!!"

"Exactly, don't you want someone who can actually do something?" Harry didn't want for an answer. He headed to Snape's office. 

__________________________________________________________________________________

Harry wanted to scream. He was again stuck at his relatives, thanks to Dumbledore. He knew the man knew how he was treated. He couldn't wait to pay the man back later. It was his birthday today, and again no letters from his so-called friends. Ron didn't even thank Snape for saving his sister. Harry had to go down into the Chamber with Snape and McGonagall because he was the only one who could open it. Dumbledore, as usual, wasn't around. 

They made their way to where Ginny was. Snape seeing the diary, cast the killing curse at it. When the Basilisk appeared, Harry was able to calm it down and learn the truth. Ginny had been the one releasing it. Harry left out that Tom Riddle was trying to return. Since no one saw the form, he didn't bother to mention it. He had no proof of it. 

Frankly, Ginny Weasley had creeped him out. She was worse than Creevey. He had seen her writing Ginny Potter on her parchment. 

As they were carrying Ginny back to the entrance, Fawkes arrived with the Sorting Hat. Harry knew Dumbledore had to have known where the Chamber was. He had to know everything. 

Harry spent the last two weeks at Hogwarts ordering a lot of books. He had them hidden in an endless pouch, which was now hidden under the floorboards. He had a list of subjects that his mysterious friend suggested he read. There was a small note stuck in a catalog on his bed, with the suggested subjects. 

Harry was in the middle of reading a book on runic magic when the mysterious elf appeared. The letter was handed to him.

Potter

Black has escaped. Read about him. Lupin has been hired as a Professor. Read about werewolves.

Friend

Harry remembered reading about Black. He also remembered there were some of his parents' old things up in the attic. Time to get Aunt Petunia to make him clean the attic.

________________________________________________________


	34. Connection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moved to main area, Connection

Harry stormed back to the Gryffindor dorm. He had enough of Dumbledore and his lies. He ignored everyone in the common room and headed straight for his bed. He spelled the curtains closed and put up a privacy charm. *Tom?*

*WHAT! DON'T CALL ME THAT.* 

*Listen, I think we have both been played by Dumbledore." 

Nothing for a few minutes. *Explain.*

*Did you see me in his office?*

*No, he gave me a headache when he forced me out.*

*He didn't cast a spell.*

"He didn't have to. When I was inside of you, I saw a lot of spells attached to you. Including a nightmare spell, a tracking charm, a locator spell, and a few compulsions. He was able to use the compulsion spell to get me booted.* Harry didn't respond for several minutes as he closed his eyes and reached down into his magical core. *Yes, see those purple strands? Those are his spells.*

Harry growled. *I knew it.* Harry inhaled deeply, exhaled. *He showed me the prophecy tonight, but it was strange. Snape will tell you that I looked into his pensive. I had fallen into Dumbledore too. Dumbledore pulled me out when he found me, I never told him what I saw. I watched all of the memories in Snape's. Tonight, however, when I was watching the memory Dumbledore was showing me, I noticed something interesting. The memory was of the prophecy being spoken. Sybill was the one given it.*

*Get to the point. I do have a headache.*

*Give me a few seconds, I am explaining why I think this is important.* Harry tucked his pillow into a better position. *When I was in my third year, Sybill gave another prophecy. Tonight's memory, however, she was speaking like she did when she is giving me her 1001 ways I am going to die. It wasn't the same tone, or even flow of her voice when she was speaking the prophecy. Also, the memory was dim around the edges, not crisp and clear like the ones I had seen before.*

Nothing for almost ten minutes as each thought about what it might mean a fake memory and prophecy would mean for them. How a fake one ruined their lives. *The prophecy and the memory were faked.* Voldemort finally stated. 

*I agree. He is sending me back to my relatives again.* Harry could hear Voldemort growl. *You know what happens there?*

*Yes, while I didn't send you those nightmares, I would get dragged into them also, so last summer, I started to research why. I saw what your relatives did.*

Harry thought about the torture he had seen. *Nagini, she poisoned Arthur Weasley. She attacked him at the Ministry.*

*Nagini doesn't have poison, she is a Boa Constrictor. I have thought about modifying her to be able to have a poison, but I don't want to hurt her.*

Harry showed Voldemort the memory. *Harry, I think he used the nightmare curse to send you the visions. Snape told me he was ordered to give you Occemancy lessons. He was ordered on how he was to teach you. He tried to hint at what you needed to do because Dumbledore had set up a monitoring system in his office, so he couldn't aid you more.*

Harry had wondered about that. Snape had mentioned clearing his mind, but he always looked at the bookcase. He mentioned to Hermione about getting books out of the library, and when he went to get the books, they were all checked out, for the whole year. *I don't want to return there. I also know my friends aren't truly my friends. They belong to Dumbledore and his Order. I have seen them in his office on my map, once too many times after we have debated about things to be comfortable with trusting them. I tested them a few times and they failed.*

*I am aware. Your godfather?*

*I know I should be upset he is dead, but really they kept us apart. I only wanted to be with him because he was my last bit of family. He was going to get me away from my relatives but he put Dumbledore first.*

*He's not the last of your family. You are a Black.*

*He was just my godfather.*

*Has anyone shown you your family tree? Taken you to your family vault? Shown you your family grimoire?*

Harry sat up in bed. *What?*

Voldemort made a loud huffing noise. *Lay back, I have a lot to tell you*


	35. Chapter 35

Harry had waited and watched for years. He had made a decision a long time ago to allow Dumbledore to believe he was in charge. He played his part well, much to his own annoyance at times. He was now hidden under the invisibility cloak.

"Good evening, Draco. What brings you out on such a fine spring evening? Or is it summer?" Dumbledore plays the fool well, thought Harry.

Draco stands poised, wand in hand, eyes darting about. Harry and Dumbledore were in the tower. Dumbledore seemed to know that Draco was coming to attempt to kill him and had immobilized Harry under the Invisibility Cloak. Harry knew it was a simple Petrificus Totalus. Harry hated being forced to watch and listen to the boring conversation with Draco. Draco clearly didn't have the nerve to kill the old man, and the man was waiting for something or someone.

Harry could see and hear that Draco was clearly unsure whether he could proceed with his given task, by Voldemort. Harry wondered if the old man forgot that Harry could see Voldemort's plans, of course, Harry never told him everything. Although Draco does not seem enthusiastic about the opportunity to murder Dumbledore. Harry thought back to all the years he had known Draco. The boy wasn't what he wanted to present to the World. He wasn't his father, and no matter how much Draco tried, he never would be. Harry knew of the threat by Voldemort. Voldemort was a tad upset with Lucius for being caught. 

Harry knew that Draco realized the threat by Voldemort was going to be a reality. That Voldemort's threat was to Draco and his family was palpable and real. Harry knew Draco would catch on soon that Dumbledore was actually just stalling Draco and possibly waiting for Snape or another member of the Order to arrive. Harry hoped the Order didn't arrive. 

Harry hadn't been listening to them and wondered when Snape would arrive, as anyone with a brain would have recognized by now that Dumbledore knows Draco can't do the job. Harry smirked, waiting for Snape.

"You are not an assassin, Draco." 

"How do you know what I am? I’ve done things that would shock you." Harry rolled his eyes. The boy was clueless. He knew Draco thought the small idiotic attempts at killing Dumbledore were a big deal, but honestly, for a boy who claimed to know so much, he was clueless.

"Like cursing Katie Bell and hoping she would, in turn, bear a cursed necklace to me? Like replacing a bottle of mead with one laced with poison. Forgive me, Draco, but these are attempts so feeble I cannot help but question if your heart has been really in them. I’m curious. When Voldemort gave you this task, when he asked you to kill me, was it in a whisper?"

Harry wanted to smirk. The man actually thought those pathic attempts were from Draco. Draco appeared confused but it passed as defended himself. "He trusts me! I was chosen!" Malfoy thrust out his arm, pulled back his sleeve. Harry could see the Dark Mark, and Dumbledore barely glanced at it.

"Then I shall make it easy for you." Dumbledore slowly and clearly not planning on using it drew out his wand. Malfoy, being so quick to draw his own, raised his. 

"Expelliarumus!" Harry watched Dumbledore's wand fly towards Draco's hand. Well, that will make it easier later. Harry watched the wand roll to a stop at Draco's feet, who was clearly surprised at how easy it was to disarm Dumbledore, which should have sent warning flags off in the dumb blonds head.

"Well done, Draco. But I warn you. Killing is not nearly as easy." Harry knew Dumbledore knew that from experience. Harry watched Draco look at Dumbledore’s eyes, then to the sky, at the gathering clouds, twisting darkly, then glanced to the stairwell. Dumbledore noticed. Harry wondered how Draco was even a Slytherin. "You’re not alone. Are you. There are others. How?"

Harry ignored the sneering smile that played over Malfoy’s lips. "The Vanishing Cabinet in the Room of Requirement." Not that Malfoy was the one who got it to work. It had taken Harry hours to fix the mistakes Draco had done. 

"That cabinet has been broken for years." Dumbledore sounded a bit impressed. He should be. 

"I’ve been mending it." 

"Ingenious. Let me guess. It has a sister. A twin." Harry, again, wanted to roll his eyes. If they only knew how much effort went into his creating this plan and carrying it out. 

"In Borgin and Burkes. They form --"

"A passage, yes. Very good." Dumbledore moved a bit as if settling in to wait. "I once knew a boy years ago who made all the wrong choices. Let me help you, Draco."

Harry tuned them out. He really didn't want to listen to how pathic Draco was. He watched the shadows, instead, they were much more interesting. He could see Draco change his mind, believing in the old man. Until footsteps are echoing around them, and the door flew opened. Bella, Fenrir, and a few others entered the room. It was about time. 

"Well now, look what we have here. Dumbledore. Wandless and alone." Harry wondered if Bella and Voldemort had a compulsion to repeat things and speak instead of acting. "Cornered in his own castle. Well done, Draco."

Harry peered up, his eyes flashing angrily at the sound of Bellatrix’s praise. It was he who set this all up, idiots. He drew his wand slowly, hoping Dumbledore wouldn't realize his spell had been broken.

"Good evening, Bellatrix. I think introductions are in order."

"Love to, Albus. But I’m afraid we’re on a bit of a tight schedule." She glared at her nephew. "Do it."

Harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes, again, as he and Draco raised their wands. Harry was poised and ready to cast if need be. Just as he was about to cast, a shadow splintered through the column to his right. He looked and finally found Severus, quiet as a ghost, peering upward at him and Dumbledore. Carefully, Severus drew his wand, then turned to Harry, a finger to his lips. "Shhh." Then he was drifting upward. Silent. A ghost again. Harry wanted to dance. He had been working on that skill, but he wasn't as ghost-like as Severus was. 

"He doesn’t have the stomach. Like his father. Let me finish him. In my own way." Fenrir had been wanting to sink his fangs into Dumbledore for a long time. 

"No! The Dark Lord was clear. The boy’s to do it. Go on, Draco. Now!"

Once again Draco raised his wand, his hand trembling. Harry’s own arm was stiff, sure. The vein in his hand pulsated. He wanted to cast the spell. 

"No." Severus stepped out of the shadows. Harry knew the warning was for him. He would make sure Severus pay for that later. 

"Severus..." Dumbledore's eyes started twinkling.

"Well, look who’s here. Hogwarts own Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Come to see the slaughter?" Bella was almost dancing with delight. 

"Severus... please." Harry knew the man wasn't begging for his life. He just didn't want Draco tainted with a murder, but he was willing to let Harry be tainted with it. The hypocrite.

"I gave my word. I made a vow..." 

Harry’s eyes darted back and forth, watching. "So you did." Bella grinned. "Shall we?" 

Fenrir grabbed Draco and started down the stairs, everyone but Bella and Severus followed. Harry waited until they were gone, and removed the cloak. Together Severus and Harry spoke: "Avada Kedavra!" Two jets of green lights hit Dumbledore squarely in the chest. "That felt so good." Harry watched Dumbledore hang almost suspended in the air for a second, his body fell out of the window and landed upon the ramparts, the night swallowing Dumbledore. 

"You can no longer stay here, Severus. Fenrir is going to take care of Draco's memory." Bella looked out the window. "They will believe either Draco or Severus killed him."

Harry joined her. "Severus stays. His death will remain a mystery." Harry dropped two wands that he had stolen. "They were already reported stolen." 

"Harry, I can't." Severus kept his head bowed.

"You are already in trouble, don't push it." 

"The Dark Lord will make his move for Hogwarts. Are you still going to play the golden boy?" Bella began to clean up the magical residue.

"For a bit longer. Let's get as much information as we can."

"True. The Dark Lord grows crazier, weaker too. I destroyed the cup. I believe we have just two left." Bella wasn't as crazy as everyone believed her to be. 

"We have the one from here, but I don't want to destroy it until after we get rid of Nagini." Harry pulled Severus to him, he wanted to lick Severus' mark but refrained. "I will tell the Order that we didn't see anything, but also express a lot of concern about his hand."

"I can add that I have been healing it. A hint that he had an idea to protect a future spy." Severus looked at Harry, who nodded his agreement.

"I will let Fenrir and the others know." They could hear the Death Eaters terrorizing the staff. "I better round them up and get out of here before the Aurors show up."

The trio headed out. 

___________________________________

Severus was sitting in his quarters. The Order believed the story that Harry and Severus had spun. He knew the Dark Lord believed that Draco killed Dumbledore, thus protecting Draco for a bit longer. He felt Harry arrive. He lifted his head up, peering into the shadows. "You are getting better, I only felt you arrive." 

Harry stepped out of the shadows. "Voldemort?"

"Bella and Fenrir said he believed Draco." 

"Good, now care to explain your actions?" Harry circled behind Severus, smelling Severus.

"I wanted Dumbledore to see us do it together. To die knowing his plan failed." Severus shivered at the pleasure that flowed through him.

"Very good reasons." Harry kissed the mark. "When do you become Headmaster?"

"In a few days. Minerva believes it will be her. She doesn't know that we already have the Ministry and Wizengamot." 

"Good, once you are officially Headmaster, we move our plans forward. Remus and Sirius are ready to seal Grimmauld Place, the twins have their parents placed bugged. Bill and Charlie ward the devices. Bella and Fenrir have people keeping track of certain Aurors."

"Rod, Rad, Avery, Rookwood have the Ministry completely covered. They sent a message that everyone was out of the Ministry when they heard Hogwarts was being invaded. Rookwood was able to retrieve those scrolls concerning their wards."

"Excellent. Granger and the annoying Weasleys are expecting me back in the dorm, give me a week's detention tomorrow."

Severus smirked. "What are you going to do to earn that?"

"Why my dear Severus, that would be telling."


	36. Sev's Sexy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blame this on on Vala411...it was all her idea. I have the fb chat to prove it.

Severus stared. He knew he wasn't the only one. "Harry!" 

"What? Look at how hot he is." Harry waved his hand in the direction of Voldemort, who was standing there with his trousers down around his ankles, with his black boxers showing.

"I told you to wear a belt. You know how he is." Severus marched up to the Dark Lord. "I put your belt on the bed after I removed those boxers from the bed." He faced Harry. "Don't even think of it." 

"What? You look hot in yours too." Harry smirked, as the image of Severus in his black boxers appeared in his mind. "Besides, putting on these duels is getting boring. I rather just take you both back home, shag you into the mattress, while Lucius and the others deal with the clean-up."

"Never should have allowed you to discover the joys of sex before we got rid of Dumbledore." Voldemort pulled up his trousers. "Don't Harry, we have to end the war."

"I think it's over." Harry strolled over to them. All around them the Order and students of Hogwarts were in shock. The Death Eaters, used to their leaders' antics, started stunning members of the Order. "Hey, make sure someone puts the magic suppressor bracers on Dumbledore." Harry twirled the Elder wand in his hand.

"When did you do that?" Voldemort eyed the wand, his eyes went bigger as he realized Harry was now the Master of Death.

Harry laughed. "On our way out. It was the reason I was delayed in arriving. Had to memory charm the old goat, hit him with an Imperio to get him to come out here."

"That's illegal." Granger yelled out. "Harry James Potter, you used an Unforgivable."

"Duh." Harry turned around and faced those he called friends. He cast a Silencio on Granger.

"Harry." Severus shook his head. 

"Severus you must do something. You can't allow this to continue." Minerva seemed to recover.

"Me? Do you know how hard it is to keep these two sane? I am just thankful they think I am sexy."

"We do." Voldemort leered at Severus' butt. "Wonderful view."

"The thing he can do with his tongue ought to be outlawed, not those stupid curses." Harry pulled Severus into his arms. "I won't even mention his-" 

Severus kissed Harry to shut him up. The young man seemed to find Severus' rear one of his best features. "He can kiss." Voldemort waited until the kiss broke apart and pulled Severus to him, giving him a searing kiss.

"My eyes, my eyes." Weasley yelled, as his sister started screaming. "No, not my Harry. He is mine." Lucius rolled his eyes and bound the two Weasleys. 

Harry and Voldemort stopped tormenting Severus as the Minister of Magic was forced to stand in front of them. "See, I told you he was back." He faced Voldemort. "He never believed me. Shame, if he had, we could have gotten rid of him and Umbitch sooner."

"True, I wasn't about to let anyone know I was back before hand. Though I have to say, we did cut it close at the Ministry."

"Dumbledore almost blew it for us. He loves to chat almost as much as you do in a battle." Harry hadn't released Severus yet. 

"Can we wrap this up? I have a potion brewing." 

"I think we are done." Voldemort looked around, his Death Eaters had everyone either bond or wandless. "Let the students return to their dorms. Lucius will be in charge for now." 

Harry didn't wait for confirmation before he grabbed Voldemort and apparated the three of them back to Slytherin Castle.


	37. Chapter 37

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This idea is based on something I thought about a while ago. What is a person's rank in a marriage or bonding was based on their Patronus?

Harry was staring at Dumbledore. He was trying to think what the man was trying to do now. He knew Dumbledore had some crazy scheme he was going to pull. "You want to know my Patronus?"

"Yes."

"Why?" Harry watched Dumbledore play with his beard, as he sucked on a lemon drop. 

"Voldemort was able to get a ritual returned. Every student who is seventeen on the first of September will have to be married. All single wizards and witches will also have to participate. It's an old ritual that involves using the Patronus Charm. The ones with the male and female of a species will have to marry or bond. The one with the male will be listed as the husband, the female will be listed as the wife." 

Harry arched his brows. He immediately thought of Ron and Hermione, they certainly wouldn't be getting married. He knew Ginny wasn't his match and let out a mental sigh of relief. "I see. When is the ceremony?"

"Hogwarts will be in session on the 31st of August, with the ceremony on the 1st. I really need to know your Patronus, as we need to make sure you are protected." 

"No. I won't be revealing it." Harry knew the real reason, he knew the Headmaster could force a person to have their Patronus changed. He read about how a magically strong wizard could influence and force a change of weaker wizard with enough exposure to the weaker as they cast the spell. Harry had kept his hidden for the last few years and he wasn't going to expose it now.

"Harry, you must be protected." 

"I will be." Harry knew the old man wanted him to marry Ginny. The Weasley family, Hermione, and most of the Order wanted it to happen. He knew the reason why. They wanted access to Harry's money. 

"Harry, this is important. Voldemort had this passed for a reason." 

Harry knew it was a lie. Dumbledore always seemed to forget that Harry had a connection to Voldemort when he wanted Harry to do something. If Voldemort really got this law passed, Voldemort's happiness would have leaked through the link. "No. I'm not going to reveal it."

"My boy, you could be in danger."

Danger from you and your Order. He had one year left to finish Hogwarts. He already started working on his escape route for when he was done with Hogwarts. Dumbledore didn't know that Harry had retaken his OWLs and taken OWLs for courses that Hogwarts didn't have. He was already accepted at the Italian University of Magical Beings. "I will be at Hogwarts. I will be fine. After all, isn't it the safest place?" Harry tuned out Dumbledore after that.


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zodiac  
> Had a plot bunny that won't leave me.
> 
> WBWL story: James and Lily abandon Harry and Dumbledore orders at Dursley. But that same night Charles and Dorea (Yes they're alive. It was all faked cause they don't trust Dumbles) saves him and takes him away to America. Raises him to be a true Potter (Powerful, feared and Dangerous). His heir to multiple houses and is Dark like his grandparents. It's Harry/Severus/Tom pairing.
> 
>  
> 
> Blame her, or send her dozens and dozens of flowers, chocolate, and wine.

Severus watched from a distance. He couldn't believe it. They were right. He never thought his Lily would do something so sickening, so disguising as to abandon one of her children at Petunia's door. Dumbledore, he knew, was an idiot when it came to how muggles could be. He did like the trick with the lights, but honestly, muggles would have wondered what was going on if they saw them black out one by one. 

Once he was sure a certain cat was gone, he confidently walked down Privat Dr. and picked up little Harry, who was looking at him. The boy was clearly wondering what was going on. "Se'ves." 

"Hello, Harry, you ready to go and see your Grandma and Grandpa? They are eager to see you." He watched a huge smile appear on the boy's face as he waved in excitement. He looked at the inflamed scar on Harry's head. He didn't buy what Dumbledore, with James and Lily Potter, was selling. There was no way the useless one was the Boy-Who-Lived. "Remember how to hold your breath?"

"Harry do."

"Very good. Hold on until we arrive." Severus watched Harry take a deep breath and closed his eyes. He apparated. When they landed, Harry's eye popped open, releasing his breath. "Good boy." He settled Harry on his right hip. 

Harry started clapping as they walked towards the smaller castle that was settled back off of the winding dirt road. He glanced at the manicured lawns and gardens as he walked. He made a note of what would need to be done in the future. He began to organize his to-do list. He was almost to the heavy oak doors when a house elf appeared, opening the left side of the massive doors. "Master Charles said to go to the library. I bring tea and bottle."

"Thank you, Mippy."

"Mippy pop." Harry waved his hand at the house elf. 

"No, Master Harry, we let Mr. Sev walk." Mippy popped away. 

___________________________________________________

"Harry. Oh, they really did do it." Lady Dorea Potter nee Black sighed in disappointment. "I knew we were right in not trusting Dumbledore. He corrupted James and Sirius. The two idiots."

"Albus left him on the doorstep, with just a blanket and a letter. He didn't even knock and Harry was awake." Severus placed Harry into his waiting Grandmother's arms.

"Grandma, me fly." Harry hugged the older woman.

"Fly?" Lord Charles Potter was a bit confused.

Severus, taking the tea from Mippy, as Dorea took the bottle, settled down to explain what happened since Harry was basically thrown away by his parents. The fury of the Potters wasn't at all surprising. He was equally furious at the stupidity of four adult wizards and witches. 

"I'm thankful we made these plans. Where is Tom?"

"Hiding. He is trying to figure out what happened. He believes he was under an Imperio and thinks that, combined with whatever ritual Albus had done in the twins rooms, caused the misfiring of the spell, as he honestly didn't want to kill either of the boys. Sirius Black, however, is in a spot of trouble. He went after Pettigrew, and killed him and 12 muggles." 

"He never did listen to reason." Charles was deeply worried about his son and nephew. Dumbledore really had them believing what he spewed out of his mouth as a gospel. "We have made arrangements. The house in America is all set up. I have sealed the Potter family vaults. Setup a trust fund for James and one for Jamie. The goblins have finished the warding on the properties, here in Britain and all over the world. I don't trust Dumbledore to try and talk James into selling things." 

"He will, he had them living in his old house, with just a Fidelius. Honestly, removing them from the ancient wards." Dorea was walking Harry, who was slowly falling asleep. "I was hoping we were wrong." She muttered to herself. 

"I was too, my dear." Charles sent her a reassuring smile as he landed the list of properties to Severus. "I set up a vault for you to use to help maintain the properties, and you know you are welcomed to anything in the greenhouses or on the estates for your experiments. We will expect you to spend your holidays with us. I will send a letter to Tom and Lucius as soon as we are settled. We will need to discuss what we are going to do for the next ten years."

"Tom's idea was to let Dumbledore and the rest believe he has been defeated. He did suggest to Orion to seal their estates upon their death. Orion already arranged for Regulus to disappear."

"Yes, Regulus will be joining us for a short while. He is going to go to University." Dorea picked up a necklace off of Charles' desk as she walked by. "Severus, this is a port-key to the New York Penthouse. It's unregistered and can get through the Hogwarts wards. Use it to visit us, and if an emergency arises, young man."

Severus took the necklace. It was silver, with an emerald gemstone pendant in the shape of a snake. He put it on. "I will. I already informed Albus that I would be gone most of my holidays. He believes it has to do with experiments." 

"Good, very good. We will leave in a few days. Tom gave me a book that will allow us to communicate." 

"I am aware, I have one too. He explained that anyone who has one of the books will be the only ones who can use them. He gave one to Reggie, Orion, Lucius, and myself."

"Excellent. Also, Mippy will be able to deliver messages too." Dorea looked down at Harry. "He's asleep, and it's late, so I will say good night. Severus, your room is ready. I had Mippy freshen it for you earlier."

"Thank you, Dorea." 

"Good night, my dear. I will be up shortly." Charles gave his wife a kiss on the cheek. As soon as the library doors closed, Charles summoned the brandy. "I'm sorry for putting you into this position."

"You didn't. I volunteered. I knew something was strange when Dumbledore wanted to meet me in that pub. I had wondered for a few years why my friendship with Lily was destroyed until she married your son."

"Money grubbing gold digger." Charles couldn't stand Lily Evans. Especially after meeting her less than subtle sister who was also a gold digger. 

Severus knew the man spoke the truth. He grew up with Lily, he loved her. He had honestly believed she was the one. He still loved the idea of Lily, but when he learned she was not willing to forgive him, no matter what he said or did, he had been deeply hurt. It took him a year to see her as she truly was. A nicer version of her sister. She was spoiled, she was entitled, and she didn't want to have to work. Tonight, however, destroyed his image of redeeming Lily. She abandoned one of her sons because the other was going to be famous. He had watched her face as Dumbledore made plans for how to train Jamie, while James made plans to protect his famous son. 

"She really hurt you, Severus, but you are stronger. You have people that love you truly, and one is that little boy upstairs." 

Severus glanced up. "It is true. I loved the idea of Lily. She is a nice looking package, but rotten underneath."

"Muggle expression, never judge a book by its cover." Charles knew his own son fell into the category. He was very hurt and distressed to realize his son was willing to throw away his own child. Just abandon him to muggles. 

_________________________________________________________________________

Ten years later:

Harry walked into the dining room. He glanced at his Grandfather, who was reading the paper. "Grandpa, did it arrive?"

"Not yet, but it will. Severus is outside in the garden gathering some potion ingredients if you wish to join-" He looked up, knowing his grandson was already gone. 

"Honestly, it would be nice to not have to drag anyone from the potion lab just one day." Dorea remarked as she entered the room. "Tom and Draco are already brewing, Lucius and Narcissa were cutting up ingredients, Reggie, I thought, was in the library just reading, but he is in there researching a potion."

"So they wouldn't let you brew?" Charles knew they were making Dorea's birthday present. Her birthday was next week, while Harry's was today.

"No." She poured herself a cup of tea. "They kicked me out." Her plate appeared, blueberry pancakes. "No letter?"

"No, not yet. You know Dumbledore is going to send it today. I wish I could see his face when they discover Harry never made it to the Dursley family."

"True. He can go to Salem or even Los Angeles." 

"Dorea, it's time. I got another letter from Ironclaw. James tried to claim the Black seats, they believe that Narcissa has them, and Draco is the heir."

"Well, they are going to be surprised when you sit down in Wizengamot." Dorea was already arranging where the best seat would be when they revealed they were alive. 

"Actually, I was thinking of holding off. Lucius has been using them. I want us to be the backup plan in case they try anything with Harry. I'm expecting they will try to regain custody of him."

Dorea's eyes flashed in anger at the very idea, but as her husband kept speaking, she smirked. Yes, Dumbledore would indeed try that, and when they stopped it, he would wonder how and more importantly who could have stopped it. Being dead did have its advantages, even if it was faked.

______________________________________________________________________

Draco and Harry were on the platform. His grandparents were under some glamours, standing behind Lucius and Narcissa. They were watching the press fawn over Jamie Potter, as Lily Potter preened, while James boasted about his family. 

"That is just sickening to watch." Harry looked at his cousin, his eyes had that glint in them.

"If you prank him, remember the rules." Lucius warned the boys. 

"We will. Uncle Severus would kill us if we broke them." Draco smiled up at his father. 

"Let's go and find a compartment before they step onto the train." The group made their way to the train. Lucius had already cast a featherlight charm on the boys' trunks. They headed to the Slytherin area of the train. 

____________________________________________________________________

"Who are they looking for?" Blaise watched Jamie Potter, with Ron Weasley, go by their compartment again.

"I believe they are looking for Harry." Pansy glanced up from her book. "They really are Gryffindors."

"Theo, did you use Aunt Serena's spell?" Draco was working on learning some of the Italian spells, and Blaise's mother, Serena to many last names, had proved them with the books to learn.

"Yes. They won't know it, and I really wasn't up to listening to Jamie go on about how wonderful he is. If his ego gets any bigger, he won't need a broom to fly."

"Severus is going to have so much fun." Harry, along with anyone who was Slytherin, knew how much Severus loathed the Potters, and they all knew Jamie was heading straight to Gryffindor.


	39. Chapter 39

Harry looked at the letter. He blinked, flipped the page over, it was blank. The letter had more information on the staff than it had regarding any benefit attending Hogwarts would bring. He didn't even apply and he gets a three sentence acceptance letter. Honestly, their book list was longer than the introduction letter, well technically, there wasn't any introduction material never mind a letter.

He read it again.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore  
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,  
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall  
Deputy Headmistress

Harry looked at the second page, after being totally disgusted by the first page. 

  
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:  
1\. Three sets of plain work robes (black)  
2\. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear  
3\. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)  
4\. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)  
Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

  
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)   
by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic  
by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory  
by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration  
by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi  
by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions  
by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them  
by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection  
by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad.

  
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK

Harry saw the brown owl waiting for an answer. He got a pen. He wrote his response. 

 

________________________________________________________________

Dumbledore grinned as he saw his favorite brown owl return. He took the letter from Snickers. He had hoped it would have been a bit more difficult for him to get a letter to Harry. After all, he needed the boy to hear about Gryffindor and Slytherin from Hagrid, along with the Hagrid retrieving a very special package from Gringotts. 

He opened the letter.

Dear Hogwarts Staff,

Unfortunately, I must decline this sudden invite. While no doubt Hogwarts has a great history in the past ages, it's ultimately a second-rate school in the eyes of the international borders. You may try to disprove this fact or simply ignore this fact, that is your choice after all the decline started when Albus Dumbledore accepted the position of Headmaster. I have an ideal grasp on magical theories and enough practice, and still continuing to learn as I continue school. The other reason for my decline is that I am already in a much higher ranked magical school. No, it's not Salem Institute of Magic. My current magical school grants me a well-rounded education in both magical and Muggle education, instead of fully abhorring and neglecting non-magical education altogether. You don't even have basic math and science classes. I won't even mention the lack of classes that would prepare a student for the realities of life outside of being students.

Do not bother trying to get the Dursleys to infer. My former caretakers had abandoned me in the middle of nowhere and I would have died. I will not provide you with any information regarding where I am now residing or even where. Leave me alone.

Harry James Potter (Well, you know me as that name)

PS Albus Dumbledore my solicitors and lawyers have repeatedly argued to have all properties belonging to my biological parents turned over to me. This is my final warning, turn over everything you stole, all the funds, all the properties, all the books, and artifacts. This is your final warning: if you do not turn over everything you and the Ministry are illegally holding, I will officially file a complaint with the International Confederation of Wizards and a lawsuit with you and the British Ministry of Magic. By the time you have read this, I will have already informed my solicitors of this situation. Again, you've been warned for a final time, Dumbledore.

Dumbledore reread the letter again. What had the Dursleys done? Why didn't he know sooner? Why didn't Arabella inform him? He needed to find Harry Potter. 

 


	40. Chapter 40

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another one to blame Vala411

Severus looked at Dumbledore. "He did what?"

"My boy, he is only wanting to help you. He has signed you up for Macdonald Frimley Hall Hotel & Spa in Camberley, Surrey. He paid for it, and I am ordering you to go."

Severus froze when he heard Surrey. So the old fool hadn't given up. He put up a token resistance before he appeared to cave to the old idiot. "Fine. When?"

"This weekend, for the whole weekend. Minerva is also going to attend. The package includes dance lessons and a ball on Sunday night." 

"What!!!! I'm not dancing." 

"You don't have to dance, Minerva can handle that aspect, but you will need to attend the lessons." 

Severus resisted the urge to throw a fit. "Fine, but I am going to make him pay."

"I wouldn't expect less." Dumbledore knew that Lockhart was going to find his shampoos, soaps, even the man's clothes were going to be subjected to Severus' revenge, but the truth was Lockhart's preening and pampering ways were even annoying him, he also believed Lockhart worked for Voldemort, as the man was clearly dark.

_____________________________________________________________

Severus and Minerva arrived Macdonald Frimley Hall Hotel & Spa. "You know why he allowed this?" Minerva took her key card. 

"Yes, as soon as he said, Surrey." Severus and Minerva walked to the elevator. "Lockhart is up to something."

"Yes, he is. I warned Albus about him." 

Severus didn't say a word. He knew who Lockhart was an associate of. He had already informed Voldemort about his spa weekend and had seen the hidden glee in the man's eye.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Severus had his eyes' closed, trying to hide from all the woman in the room. He ignored the chatting around him. "Professor Snape, are you getting a mani/pedi? Aunt Petunia gets them, but Uncle Vernon says real men don't." His eyes snapped opened Harry Potter was staring at him. 

The boy was now a man. He was taller than he expected, he looked more like his mother. He didn't have glasses any longer so his green eyes were radiating from his face. His hair was a bit longer and lost the bird's nest look. "Potter?"

"Hello. I do believe we need to talk, but after your mani/pedi." Harry laughed. "I arranged for lunch in a private setting for noon."

Before Severus could respond, Potter was gone. "Do you know him?" A woman asked. 

"Yes, I do." Severus answered without thinking. 

"Can I get his number?" 

Severus looked at the girl in confusion. Number? Potter was hot. Wait, where did that come from?

______________________________________________________

Minerva and Severus were a bit surprised to find Harry sitting with Voldemort in the dining room. "Please sit. I had a hard time arranging this." Harry stood up and held out a chair for Minerva. 

After lunch, which was tense but peaceful. Harry leaned back in his chair. "Thank you for waiting. Now, we begin." 

Three hours later Minerva and Severus were still in shock. They looked at all the files, they had seen the paper trails, they had seen the accounting. They couldn't believe what they were reading. "For over fifty years. I can't believe it." Minerva thought she had known Albus Dumbledore. 

"We have the weekend to work out details, but I do believe Severus it's our dancing lessons. Harry managed to escape the sessions."

"Yes, Lockhart has signed us up for Tango lessons." Severus had already started Lockhart's punishment. 

Severus and Minerva were a bit surprised to realize Macdonald Frimley Hall Hotel & Spa was also a magical spa. They were in a Tango class with other wizards and witches. Severus was trying to learn the different steps, and while he was finding it interesting, he was still tense, after all, Voldemort didn't look happy.

"Sir, the results of the Crucio Curse is not a form of dance. Please put your wand away." The dance instructor tapped Voldemort's hand. 

Voldemort went to retort. "Oh hush you and let's dance." Minerva grabbed Voldemort. "Show me what you learned." 

_________________________________________________________

Severus was standing in the corner. He was watching Minerva and Voldemort dancing. They looked good together and he hoped that Minerva would keep the man focused. "She will." Severus turned and there was Harry Potter, in black formal dress robes. "Care to dance?"

Severus arched a brow. "You will lead?"

"Really?" 

Severus caved, and let himself be escorted out to the dance floor.


	41. How to Win a War without A Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This came to me while I was sleeping so don't kill me.
> 
> moved to the main area

Harry was dropped into the middle of the battlefield. He was furious. He looked around, could see the Death Eaters fighting against the Order, which was sadly outnumbered. He looked around for the idiot of a Headmaster, not seeing him, he transformed the closest rock into a recliner. "Dobby." This wasn't his fight, and he wasn't going to join it.

"Master Harry Potter?" Dobby was a bit afraid, he didn't want to die, not yet, anyway. 

"Tea and those lovely biscuits that Winky makes." Harry sat down in the brown recliner, pushed back, and closed his eyes, he ignored the yelling and screaming as spells were cast and landed.

"There is a fight going on." A voice was heard to his right.

"Yes, aware, however, not my fight. The yelling is a bit loud. I didn't even want to be here. I would have left a long time ago but that old fool kept forcing me back." Harry opened his eyes. "Don't think we have met."

"I believe we have, but you were a child." The man glanced around, the Order was trying to take cover, but the Death Eaters and associates were outnumbering them four to one. They had sealed the students in Hogwarts, despite the old fool wanting them to join on the battlefield.

"Could be. I haven't been in Britain for long, but I know I was born here. Personally, looking forward to this Voldemort guy killing Dumblecluck. I might even pay for watching it. I wonder if I asked for a few shots if he would allow it. I almost killed the man a few weeks ago, but Granger realized it was poison and needed a Muggle cure. That girl needs duct tape over her mouth."

"Interesting."

Harry turned another rock into a recliner, this one turned white, the recliners remained the colors of the rocks they were before. "Have a seat. The Death Eaters should make short work out of the Fried Chickens." Harry waited for the tall man sat down. "Have to wonder about a group that wants to fight a war using only stunners, and then wonder why they are losing."

"Indeed. Severus has informed me about you."

"Sev is a good guy, gets a shitty deal from the Headidiot. The man never listens to anything Sev tells him. If he did, this might all have been avoided." 

"How?" This was interesting news. Dobby placed a tea set on a table and poured two cups of tea.

"Sev has been telling the Chickens for months I wasn't going to do anything, but instead, they bound me, and transported me here. Dropped me over there." Harry pointed to the spot where he had landed. "He kept telling them that they were going to lose. What do I call you?"

"I'm called Lord Voldemort." 

Harry looked at the man, tilted his head. "Nope, can't see it. Where is the snake face, red eyes, bald head look that I have been hearing about? Actually, according to them, you should be out there firing off those stupid Unforgivables, crackling crazily as people drop. Where is your crazy snake?"

"Dumbledore has a bad habit of believing whatever he is told. You are?"

"They say I am Harry Potter, but I say who in the Great Ancients cares. I'm called Shadow Lin."

Voldemort laughed. Dumbledore really messed up this time. "So how have you been finding your confinement here?" He knew who Shadow Lin was, even if Dumbledore didn't. 

"Boring."

"HARRY JAMES POTTER, FIGHT!!!!" Granger dodged a spell from a vampire.

"Duct tape would be a good look on her." Harry commented to Voldemort. "The Weasley's mother is even worse."

Voldemort smirked as they watched a group of Order members, with Dumbledore, stormed towards them. Dumbledore had cast a group shielding spell, the Death Eaters were clearly laughing at the group as they shot prank spells at them. Voldemort gave the signal to allow the group to approach. The Death Eaters stopped casting spells, and Lucius cast a Sonorus spell. "Harry, how could you?" Ginny Weasley whined.

"What? Enjoy my tea? Well, it's a nice day outside, pleasant conversation, so why not enjoy my tea." Harry took a sip of tea. "Winky makes the best biscuits, she uses vanilla cream and Belguim chocolate." 

"He's not playing with all his marbles is he?" Rookwood quietly asked Lucius. 

"He is related to the Black family." Lucius knew that had to explain it. He looked at Bella, who was twirling her wand, her eyes on the Order group.

"My boy, you need to embrace your destiny and you must fight against You-Know-Who." Dumbledore cast a quick glance, all the fighting had ceased. Not realizing that is was Voldemort sitting next to Harry.

"Who?" 

"He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named." Ron Weasley snarled. Everyone in the Order knew what was next.

"Why mustn't he be named? How do you know he did anything going around saying You-Know-Who? I have used that name when I was planning a friend's surprise party." He looked at Voldemort. "It was a total surprise for him too. It lasted a weekend. I remember Friday, but Saturday is missing a few hours here and there. Sunday, I don't remember but woke up with a really hot guy...I will let you finish that. There are some ladies here."

"Because we just do." Granger snapped. 

"No, you don't do it. I think you're still a virgin, despite Weasley claiming otherwise. I've seen better moves on a corpse than he has." Harry looked at Voldemort. "You are really going to have to teach me that trick. They can't even say your name, yet want me to fight you. You should see their reactions when I get them to say your name."

"Harry, your family." Dumbledore tried to reason.

"Is dead because of you." Harry put his tea cup down. "How about we visit the truth factory? I know, if everyone after they learn the truth, still expects me to fight, I will duel Voldie."

Voldemort wondered what was going on. He searched the Death Eaters until he found Severus. Severus was poised to fight, but not against him, he had a smirk on his face. Voldemort realized Harry wasn't going to fight him, but instead doom Dumbledore. 

"I don't believe that is necessary. You must do your duty, my boy." Dumbledore had his wand still ready to cast but knew he couldn't do anything with so many watching him. He was looking at Voldemort, the man wasn't insane, wasn't casting curses, this was ruining his plans.

"First, not your boy. Second, you don't want the truth known because your little band of sycophants couldn't handle the truth. Third, the truth would land you and a few of your pawns in Azkaban."

Voldemort sat up straighter. This was getting very interesting. "Harry, my boy, I only did everything for the greater good."

"You should be grate-" Everyone looked at Granger who was trying to remove the silver metallic tape from her mouth.

"Yes, I was right. It does look good." Harry saw Severus in the crowd, he looked around the Order. "I had wondered how you managed to survive. Honestly, throwing stunners and prank spells at those trying to kill you. You capture a few, toss them into Azkaban, and what, two weeks max, they are released again. The Death Eaters have a much better rate of survival."

"Oh, poor Potty going to whine about how he was abused and abandoned by his relatives, now. Blame us for not making sure the world didn't bow at your feet? Dumbledore took you in, taught you. He did what was best for our world." Weasley's tone of voice, full of contempt, caused several to look at him.

"He really needs a better script writer, but I do thank you for bringing up a great point. Those articles released by the talented Rita Skeeter were true. Dumbledore and his little circus clowns have been stealing from me, well, until I had the goblins fix that situation. As for my former relatives, the ones they kept trying to force me to go live with, are in a muggle prison. Child abuse and neglect are illegal. So is taken government funds and not using them on the child. Turn out abandoning a child in the woods is illegal too. Though I sent them a thank-you basket, however, I know some of Sev's special potions made it into the basket of treats."

Voldemort laughed. "I am aware of Severus' special potions."

"He is very creative." 

"Thank you, Mr. Potter." Severus walked a bit closer to Harry. "No one else better call me Sev." He warned.

"HARRY! How could you?" Mrs. Weasley finally broke whatever charm was placed on her.

"Really? Are you joking? You kidnap me, confine me to Hogwarts, force me to attend classes, not that I went. I won't even mention the detentions. I have to admit I did finally attend them with Sev, but who could call those detentions, as I-"

"Mr. Potter." Severus' face was a bit red, as every Death Eater did a double take between Severus and Harry. 

"He is hot, it's the robes." Lucius agreed with Harry. "I think the black makes it more appealing."

"Yes, and getting him out of them, kept me busy." Harry licked his lips. "So Dumblecup, why don't you explain about always returning abused kids to their abusers? How about stealing from the muggle-born, taking their titles?"

"What?" Several were heard asking that.

"I don't believe now is the time." Dumbledore gave his old grandfather look. "We can work on issues after you fight Tom."

"Tom Marvolo Riddle?" Harry smirked. 

Voldemort wasn't sure what was going to happen but he knew Dumbledore expected him to react to his muggle name. "He thinks if he uses my muggle name, I will go into a rage." Voldemort waved his wand and did the "I Am Lord Voldemort" trick.

"That is so cool. You will have to help me create one for my name. You might want to get a family genealogy test done. Dumbles here has hidden that the muggle-born come from old squib lines, and has taken their titles if they were to be the next Lord or Lady. I know he kept a few away from the Death Eaters."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, very. My mother was actually Peverell and a Slytherin. I was tested at Gringotts, they were very interested in wondering why their testing was never revealed in the Wizengamot after providing it to the Ministry."

Harry saw the reaction of the crowd, they weren't happy to learn that Dumbledore had done. "He tried to get me to believe I could speak Parseltongue, which by the way is only considered dark here, because of you. He tried to tell me I was a Horcrux. He forgot to check my health, my magical skills, and family reports at Gringotts. I got the skill from my mother. This scar he likes to say is my link to you is just a scar. The whole prophecy was a lie. Sybill, when she is very drunk, likes to talk."

The news spread like wildfire. People were demanding answers. Harry kicked back in his recliner. "Pass me a biscuit, please." He transformed a rock into a recliner for Severus. "Tea?"

"Yes. My Lord, I do believe you have won."


	42. Match Game Slytherin Style

"Yes, Severus, return to the old fool."

"My Lord." Severus bowed, turned and left the Death Eater meeting.

"I do wonder what he has under his robes." Harry's quiet voice echoed around the hall. Voldemort and the Death Eaters saw the dreamy look on Harry's face. 

"Lucius, the Ministry?" Voldemort returned to the matter at hand but could tell some matchmaking was going to be in the works.

______________________________________________________________

"Detention, Potter." Severus didn't even glance at Harry's potion. He knew it was perfect, after all, he had spent the last two years secretly teaching Harry.

"What did he do?" Weasley's ground out, his tone and body already defensive.

"Unless you wish to join Mr. Filch tonight, though you might enjoy having a date, I would suggest you close your mouth."

"I'm not gay."

"Denial, not just a river in Egypt." Draco rather loudly commented. He had learned the expression from Harry, not that any but the snakes knew Harry wasn't Dumbledore's tool.

________________________________________________________________

Draco was waiting in the hall leading to Severus' office. "He's in a mood. Dumbledore is forcing him to keep Weasley in his class."

"Great, you have it?"

"Yes, and it should help." Draco pulled out the package. All the snakes knew that Harry wasn't able to go to Hogsmeade because Dumbledore was preventing him from leaving, trying to claim it was for Harry's safety.

"Thanks, Draco. Oh, Weasley, Weaslette, and Granger were heading to ROR. Something about getting me drunk and caught in bed with Weaslette. Can I crash in your rooms?"

"Sure, and I believe we might have a way to keep them busy for the next few nights." 

Harry grinned, the last time the trio had tried anything, Draco and their friends with Neville, Luna, Lavender, and a few others got Granger removed as Head Girl after she was caught for the fifth time bullying. Colin Cleevey took different pictures of her hitting people, and when they complained to McGonagall and Dumbledore, nothing was done. So the pictures found their way into Rita's skilled hands, and the Board stepped in and removed Granger. "Have Susan catch them this time."

"You read my mind." Draco was so thankful that the DA actually turned out to support Harry, not Dumbledore. They were all now junior Death Eaters and trained with Dumbledore's approval. 

_____________________________________________________

"Lucius, I need you to write to Severus, he is to attend this year's ball."

"Sweetheart, you will have more sway than I will. He will just tell me no. Maybe, mention it to our Lord?"

"Yes, yes, that would be best. I will get him new robes. Did Harry mention a color he liked to see on Severus?"

"No, I am not aware that Harry even knows we are matchmaking. I would suggest green as it would match Harry's eyes."

"Yes, that would be good. Severus has a green vest, so I could work with that." Narcissa went off, while Lucius let out a sigh of relief, he knew Severus would be attending the ball, but he didn't want to be the one to force it, as he knew Severus would make him pay. Last time, he dyed Lucius' hair bright pink.

__________________________________________________________

Lucius was making the rounds at the yearly Yule ball. He saw a variety of people already huddled in groups. He saw Harry keeping a careful eye on where Severus was, who the man spoke to, and if anyone touched Severus. Thankfully, no one had so far. "You might as well hit the man over the head and drag him to a cave."

"I'll use that as a last resort." Harry didn't face Lucius. "Who is that with him?"

"Clarence Higgins. Minor supporter. Works in the Department of Familiar Registration, no title, no real money." 

"So if he disappeared?" 

"Harry, no killing before you turn 18." Voldemort reminded the boy. "Besides, Severus mostly like wouldn't be able to tell you the man's name." 

Harry let out a bit of a growl as said man pinched Severus' butt. Severus, however, had his wand out and now the man was a rock. Severus picked it up and placed it in the closest fireplace. "I have a fire to light."

"Harry." Voldemort escorted Harry out of the room.

Lucius watched Narcissa pick up the rock. He knew she was going to place in one of the guest bedrooms. He watched Severus move to speak to Rookwood.


	43. Chapter 43

Harry was staring, in shock, at the man, he thought he loved transform into Severus Snape. He looked finally at Dumbledore, and back to Snape. "Why? Why did you pretend?"

"I asked him to keep an eye on you, Harry. As you know there are still Death Eaters around. I know you didn't want to return to your relatives, and I was hoping Severus would be able to protect you, as he also recovered."

"I see. So it's all fine and dandy." 

"Harry." Severus didn't like the tone of voice. He knew it was the tone Harry used when he buried his hurt, buried his pain, buried his disappointment. He had heard it a few times when they had discussed Harry's past. 

"It's Potter. If we are done, I'm going to head to bed." Harry didn't even wait for a reply, he couldn't even tell you if either man said anything as he left. He wasn't going to head to the Gryffindor Common Room. He could barely stomach seeing Ron, Ginny, or Hermione. As soon as the war was finished, and they got their glory, he didn't matter to them. 

He headed straight to the Chamber of Secrets, no one could get to him while he was there. He wiped the tears away from his eyes. He had spent the whole summer laughing, talking, and just relaxing with Tobias Willis. The man had a dark sense of humor, which appealed to Harry's own dark sense of humor. He didn't expect anything from Harry, and that was a change. He had told the man he loved him a week ago. He promised to write to him, he should have known something was off when he didn't get any reply to those statements. 

Harry knew he shouldn't be surprised. It seemed everyone wanted something from him, but no one wanted him. He was eighteen now. He was free. He wished he never agreed to return to Hogwarts. He should have followed his dreams of traveling but Tobias kept saying how important an education was, again another hint. Hindsight it certainly made you want to kick yourself. He headed into Slytherin's sleeping chamber. "Hi, Sal." 

Harry crashed into the bed and cried himself to sleep.  
__________________________________________________

Meanwhile:

"I warned you it was a bad plan." Severus wanted to throttle the old fool. "I told you this was a mistake."

"It needed to be done. He had to stay with his relatives, and he needed protection." Dumbledore kept his hands folded on his desk. "He has returned to Hogwarts, and he shall remain." 

"Yes, the most powerful wizard, who is abused by his relatives, needs to be protected." Severus was really having a hard time. He had actually grown to care about Harry, no Potter. "He won't after this year. Not after this."

"He needs his family, we are his family."

"Yes, I can see that. You have the Weasley family who have done nothing but ignored him, except for the menace twins. Ronald and Ginny didn't even respond back to one letter. Granger, when she finally did write, kindly informed Harry that she was too busy to spend time with a little boy, who kept sending her endless letters. She even went so far as to say that she wouldn't be interested in dating him unless he returned to Hogwarts. When he informed her that he was gay, well let's say she put Molly Weasley to shame with her howler. Once the Weasley's found out, again except for the twins and Charlie, they all basically called him a disgrace to the wizarding world, and a few other uncalled for things. Now we add this wonderful idea of yours."

"I have already been informed of his sexuality, and he will be marrying Ginny at the end of the year."

"No, he won't. If you do it, you will wish you never heard of him." Severus warned. "He is over seventeen. Why are you so against it? I know you are gay."

"Our Savior must have an heir." 

Severus looked at Dumbledore. "You did it on purpose. You knew you wanted me to be there, to get him attached to me, and give him only you to turn too." 

"I did not. I wanted him protected. You were the best man for the job." 

Severus knew Harry was angry with him, but he also knew Harry was furious with the Weasleys, Granger, and Dumbledore. If the old fool thought this was going to work, he was delusional. "I don't want to be in your shoes when this backfires." 

"It won't. He will marry Ginny." 

Severus didn't bother to continue with this discussion. He issued a warning. "He hasn't trusted you since he learned you faked your own death. If you do this, be warned, you won't like the results."

"You care for Harry?"

Severus could see the twinkling eyes. "More than you know. I can't make up for what just happened, but I will try." He turned on his heels and left Dumbledore's office, neither man noticing the snake in the corner frame.


	44. Recruiting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moved to main area.

Harry looked at Lucius. "Are you serious?"

"No, that is your godfather. We need to recruit."

Harry groaned, looked at Severus who was shaking his head. "Lucius, while you're hot, this going to recruit anyone with what you posted. It will do the job of keeping the Death Eaters from being able to recruit." 

"You think I'm hot?" 

"Harry don't distract him, you know how he is. Once he starts talking about himself it will never end." 

"I do not. Besides, tell me one thing that isn't a lie in there?"

Harry, following years of growing up with Severus, pinched his nose. "That wasn't the point of recruiting. We want them to join us, not Dumbledore, not Voldie, us. So stopping them from being Death Eaters is good we need a recruiting method for us." 

"I see. You don't think I can recruit anyone?"

"Lucius, just create a new one, ok? Please, if you do, I will buy your next shipment of shampoo and conditioner." 

Lucius eyed Harry. "You will?" 

"Yes." 

______________________________________________________________  


"Lucius, we aren't the dark side, remember and your son is with Voldie." Severus saw Harry banging his head on the table. 

"I know I thought it would make people join us."

"We need a new recruiter." Harry muttered.

"I can do it." Lucius pouted.

"One more shot." Severus and Harry warned him.

________________________________________________________

  


"It works. We are using their name." Severus glanced at Harry.

"True." 

"So you will buy my shampoo and conditioner?" 

"Yes, Lucy. I will."


	45. Chapter 45

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blame Vala411 and her friend.

"Mr. Snape the doctor will see you now." The nurse was standing in the doorway.

Severus rose from his seat and followed the nurse to the room. He was finishing the questionnaire when the nurse arrived to take his basic stats. He really hated this. He didn't understand why Poppy couldn't fix the issue. He knew she wasn't a healer but a medi-witch but still.

"The doctor will be in to see you shortly."

"Thank you."

Ten minutes and Severus was getting annoyed. He was about to get up and leave when there was a knock on the door, and the hottest guy Severus had ever seen opened the door and stepped in. "Hello, Mr. Snape, my name is Doctor Ian McKinley. I see it's your first time here."

"Yes, I was referred to you by my regular doctor." Severus was a bit surprised he could speak. The guy was tall, broad-shouldered, slightly long black curly hair, and the greenest eyes he had ever seen. He slammed his shields down. He really didn't want to embarrass himself, especially at his age.

"Yes, by Poppy Pomfrey. I get a lot of my clients from her. I read that you are anemic and she believes it to be in your colon, rectum or anus that is causing the problem, due to your age, and some factors that you weren't clear on."

"Yes, I have just had my 50th birthday and she felt I should see you." Oh, the voice was really going to be his ruin, he couldn't remove his eyes from the young doctor. He really wasn't sure why he was acting like this.

"I see. I read that you had some issues with bowel movements, which could be signs of irritable bowel syndrome or IBS, which might also be a cause of the anemia since you mentioned blood. Please remove your trousers and any undergarment you are wearing and get on the table."

Oh, sweet Merlin, he wasn't sure how his body was going to react to being naked on a table in front of this Adonis. His arousal level rose as he thought about it as he began to remove his trousers. He could see the doctor was reading whatever Poppy had sent because he knew he didn't provide any information beyond filling out the forms. "Mr. Snape, it says here that you work in a bit of a dangerous field and that you usually end up getting hurt. Could that also be associated with the issues you are experiencing?"

Severus froze, how could you tell a muggle that hey I get tortured by an insane Dark Lord for fun, and he loves to make sure I never forget him. On the other end, I have a lemon drop loving fool that seems to believe he needs his answers before I can be healed. "Yes. I really can't speak about it."

"I understand, you aren't the first one Poppy has sent my way."

Severus almost melted as the doctor smiled. Severus finally got onto the table. He closed his eyes and slammed his arousal down. "I'm not sure what you expect to find." 

"It's just a basic exam, I will need some samples from you, and we will have to wait for the results, but it shouldn't take to long. Poppy mentioned you worked with students also as a professor. That could be part of your IBS. It might be the stress that many kids in a chemistry classroom could cause." 

If you only knew. All those potions explosions, keeping them from killing themselves. "It can be." 

"I had a fellow student during my first chemistry class melt the beakers we were using. He set fire to them. The poor professor could never figure out how the kid did it." 

"I have had similar experiences." Severus watched the doctor put down his folder and put on a pair of gloves. He liked the gloves, he would have to mention them to Poppy.

"I'm going to touch your stomach area, tell me if you feel any discomfort or pain." 

How about arousal? Severus didn't comment. He informed the doctor when he got discomfort or pain. He ignored his feelings as he was asked to turn over and bit his lip when he was being examined. 

"All finished. I believe we have a combination of things happening. Mr. Snape, are you by chance a wizard?"

Severus didn't react right away. "I'm unsure of what you mean?"

"It's fine. One of my other long time patients is a wizard, and he has the same problems you do, all caused by a curse. I will write out the same course for healing that I have given him. It will combine what you eat, healing potions, which I believe you might be associated with, immediate treatment as soon as you can. I believe you have delayed on getting treatment, so that has to stop."

He was always delayed thanks to Dumbledore, but he wasn't going to add that. He was still bit surprised this doctor knew about wizards. "I see."

"I don't believe you do. My other patient gets treatment immediately, you haven't been. Which is what is causing your anemia. Also, the delay is making your IBS worse, as it's causing more cramps and spasms in your system. If you don't get treated right away, you may cause a rupture and die from blood loss." 

"I will work on it." Severus wasn't sure if Dumbledore or Voldemort would get him killed now. 

"Mr. Snape, why don't I believe you?" Severus didn't say a word. The doctor looked down at his watch. "I thought so. Remain here for the next hour. We have a few things to speak about."

Severus was a bit surprised but agreed. The doctor handed him some pamphlets. "Read up on your conditions, I can answer your questions afterward."

An hour later:

The doctor returned to the room. "Come, let's sit in my office. We are the only ones here." 

Severus followed the man to a large corner office. There was a huge black walnut desk in the far corner, set so that the black office chair was in the corner and the desk was between the two office windows on the two walls. One of the walls was lined with bookcases, with books overflowing in them. There was a black walnut filing cabinet in the opposite corner from the office chair. There was a black leather couch that clearly was slept on. Two matching black leather chairs were in front of the desk. "Tea?"

"Please." 

After tea was served, the doctor leaned back in his office chair. "I will be blunt. You must work for Albus Dumbledore, as that is who Poppy works for. Not that she is aware that I know of your world. Dumbledore is the reason for the delays, while that Voldie guy is the one who causes the problems." Severus looked a bit surprised. "I am a doctor, I'm not stupid. I received a funny letter when I was 11, inviting me to Hogwarts. I refused as I was already at Eton and wasn't giving up my place for a world I didn't know." 

"How have you handled your magic?" 

"The goblins. Our mutual friend mentioned them."

"I have never heard of any McKinleys before." 

"That is my adopted name. I was adopted when I was about 2 or 3. I learned later it was shortly after I was about 15 months I was dropped off at an orphanage, and three months later I was adopted, by the Duke of Wrentham."

Severus knew that name. Where did he know it from? He began to search through his memories, not seeing the look of amusement on the doctor's face. "Your father is the leader of the new neutral faction. Rallying around the natural aspects of magic. Albus and the Dark Lord have been losing a lot of people to this faction."

"Yes. Now that business is dealt with. How about a date? Not a recruitment dinner. An honest, I think you're interesting and want to get to know you date." 

"I would enjoy that." 

"Good, let me change and I will take you out to dinner."


	46. Unholy Trio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moved to main area

Harry stared at the two other individuals in the room. He wasn't sure why they were here but the goblins sent him a letter about a Will being opened and reviewed. Harry was one of the beneficiaries. He took a seat. He was a bit afraid. 

"We will begin." The goblin named Spike looked at the three wizards. This was going to change their world. He placed the orb on the small green marble stand. The orb flared to life:

"You three don't know me, but I have done you a great injustice. My name is Gilbert Wimple, I'm a Ministry wizard on the Committee on Experimental Charms. What I'm about to tell you will never be able used against Albus Dumbledore, as he has covered his tracks well. I'm leaving everything I own to Tom Marvolo Riddle, his son Severus Tobias Snape, and grandson Harrison James Potter. Please listen carefully. I am aware you are thinking I'm crazy."

"Damn straight." Harry muttered as he listened to Snape and Voldemort question the man's sanity.

"Albus Dumbledore knew that Tom Marvolo Riddle fell in love with a nice young light sided witch. Her name was Bridget Wenlock. He killed her because after years of creating a new Dark Lord he didn't want his plans ruined. He needed to make people believe in him and not what Tom was trying to accomplish. He placed his son with the deceased son of Eileen Prince and Tobias Snape. Tobias in a drunken rage killed their child. I, with great remorse, aided him in the charms he used to create a new Severus Snape.

Allow me to a bit of side information before I move on. Dumbledore arranged for a variety of duels over the years to influence the changes in Tom. It started with a book on Horcruxes. Dumbledore was furious that Tom didn't create one after he arranged for Horace Slughorn to give the book to Tom. So he used some of the charms I had created to influence Tom to create one. I swear I didn't know. 

The original plan was for Tom to kill Grindelwald, but Tom didn't. So it forced Dumbledore to do it. You see, he wanted to kill Tom after that, claiming that Tom was also a rising Dark Lord. He had this idea, that after Tom created the Horcrux, he would show the Horcrux to the Ministry after killing Tom. He would be famous for stopping a threat. He wanted to show how superior Hogwarts was. He wanted to make sure he became the Headmaster. 

Years later, Severus arrived at Hogwarts. A true Ravenclaw, which Dumbledore wasn't going to allow. Dumbledore forced the Sorting Hat to put Severus in Slytherin. Again, my charms. He used them on the hat, and they are still on it. He can put people where he wants them. After Severus was where he wanted him, he allowed those idiots to torment him. You see, his plan was the same one he is using with Mr. Potter. Slytherin prevents any heir from being killed by the Lord, but the heir could kill the Lord if they were hurting magic. 

His plans blew up in his face when Severus joined his father. Oh, he was furious. He had to revamp his plans, and he did. He knew how Lily Evans felt about Severus. He knew she wanted to be with Severus. Potter, the idiot, gave him his new idea. Potter wanted Lily, he also wanted an heir, but he couldn't father children. So he went to Dumbledore, their plan took formation. 

Sirius Black and James Potter have a map of Hogwarts. It-"

"The Marauder's Map." Harry was in shock. He was also afraid of what he was going to hear.

"Explain that Potter." Snape waved his hand and Spike stopped the Orb. 

Harry started shaking a bit. "He's heading into shock." The Dark Lord cast a quick warming spell. 

"Potter focus on my voice, breath in...out...in...out." Snape directed Harry. Snape was working on controlling his own emotions, he could feel the anger from the Dark Lord in his mark. 

"Thank you." Harry inhaled deeply. "The map allows you to see where everyone is at Hogwarts. Their true selves, no poly-juice or animus form. They would have known where you were when you were at Hogwarts. Remus and Sirius said they created it in their third year."

Snape and the Dark Lord exchanged a look. "May we see it?" The Dark Lord wondered what else Dumbledore had done. 

"Sure." Harry pulled out an expandable pouch. He pulled out the map. He looked at them. "It's password protected."

"I would like to examine it before it's opened. Spike, could you also cast some detection charms on it?" The Dark Lord was resisting the urge to go and kill Dumbledore.

Harry handed the map to Spike and watched as the three cast a series of spells on the map. "It reaks of Dumbledore's magic." The Dark Lord glanced at Snape.

"It all charms and transfiguration." Spike handed the results to the Dark Lord. "The level is a master."

"So Dumbledore and Wimple made the map and gave it to my father and Sirius. He must have used a memory charm to get them to believe they did it. He likes to use those." Harry looked down at the map. "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good." 

The map opened. Harry frowned. He pointed to the Headmaster's office. "Why are Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Molly, and Remus at Hogwarts?"

"I'm not sure." Severus had a very bad feeling about this.

"Let's continue with this before we jump to conclusions." The Dark Lord didn't like what he had been hearing and knowing how firmly the Weasley family was in Dumbledore's pocket didn't look good.

Spike rewound the Orb. "It shows where everyone is and who they truly are. This plan was very simple. Dumbledore had explained how Severus Snape came to Hogwarts at times to work in the lab or library as it was part of the apprenticeship agreement with Potion Master Libatius Borage, the Author of Advanced Potion-Making. They waited for Snape to arrive at Hogwarts, with Dumbledore's permission and aid they stunned Snape, dragged him to the Room of Requirement, where they had already placed Lily Evans. They gave them a lust potion, after feeding Evans with a fertility potion. James already proposed to her and they were getting married in a few days. They left the room, returning the next morning where Dumbledore memory charmed them. Potter and Black stunned Snape and dropped him off in Hogsmeade."

"I remember that. I had wondered for days what happened." Snape's anger was building.

"Since Dumbledore wanted to get rid of Tom, knew that Severus couldn't help him, he set up for an old prophecy to be heard. One he made sure to have Severus hear. This plan did backfire, as you know. Dumbledore knows the Lord can't kill the heir in the Slytherin line, which is why he set this up. What he doesn't know is that the direct line can't kill each other. The Potters weren't to be killed that night. Peter Pettigrew is a spy for Dumbledore. He arranged for Peter to inform Tom about the being the secret keeper. However, Dumbledore didn't inform or make arrangement for the Potters to be out that night. He had strongly suggested to Black to get them out, but Black went to check on Lupin and Pettigrew. He found them together and heard them talking about the plan. It's why he remained in Azkaban, and when he escaped, Dumbledore charmed him to be slightly unhinged and obsessed with James."

"I know you are wondering why didn't I stop this. I tried. I honestly tried. Dumbledore learned I was going to meet with Barty Crouch. He cornered me in my office and bound me with oaths. I could only tell you after I was dead. I have evidence that you will be given but it doesn't link Dumbledore. He never got his hands dirty. He knows about the abuse the three of you endured, or in Potter's case, still enduring. He wanted Potter away from our world, he prevented Potter from getting even the basic of muggle-born packets about our world. He even encouraged it with the muggles to beat Potter. He arranged for Hagrid to be Potter's first contact. He arranged for Molly Weasley to be on the platform outside of the barrier. He has been paying them to befriend Potter out of the Potter vaults. It's why he has prevented Potter from knowing he is the Black and Potter heir. The same with Snape being the Prince heir. You see he did those houses for a reason.

He selected those houses to keep control. The blood adoptions allowed you to inherited those titles, but he has withheld the information and arranged to be placed as guardians over the three of you. Yes, Riddle, he has been using your seats. You three need to take Inheritance Tests, especially Harry. Between the charms on Harry to look like Potter and his status, Harry received a lot of power. Take it away from Dumbledore and he will start to crack. Dumbledore's weakness is his inability to handle not being in control. He hates chaos and disorder. Use it wisely. Good luck and again, I deeply regret my unknowing involvement. If I had realized what he was doing I would have never aided him. I wish I knew your true names, so I could have blessed them fully. I blessed you with the names I know you now wear. May Lady Magic guide your hands, your minds, your hearts, and your magic."

I leave my properties to Harry Potter, under the guidance of his father and grandfather. 

I leave my books to the three of them. Use them wisely. They will aid you. I also left notes in each book on what was used and when. 

I leave my title to Tom Marvolo Riddle, until his grandson, Harry James Potter, is able to take the mantle. Mr. Potter can delay taking the mantle, leaving it in his grandfather's hands.

I leave my research on Potions to Severus Tobias Snape. You will find the list of Dumbledore's favorite potions to use. I tried to create counters, but I'm not a Potion Master.

I have made this will of my own free choice. No potions, charms, or bonds have been placed or used in creating this will. These are my own words, my desires, and my hopes. Lord Gilbert Wimple."

The three men looked at each other. Spike removed the Orb. "He arranged for a purging room and three Inheritance Tests. He also arranged for a healer to examine Mr. Potter." 

Harry anger started to build as he processed everything he just heard. Severus reacted quickly by pulling out his potion pouch. "Potter, drink." He held a Calming Draught up for Harry to drink.

"He knew what the Dursleys were doing to me." Harry muttered. He thought he could trust Dumbledore. 

"I'm afraid the news doesn't get any better. I pulled the Potter and Black statements. Mr. Dumbledore has been helping himself and been very generous with giving your funds others. The list is small." He handed the list to Harry. 

Molly Weasley 300 Galleons per month to Vault 2493, personal vault, monthly. 5 November 1981  
Ronald Weasley 100 Galleons per month to Vault 2968, personal vault, monthly. 23 August 1991, additional purchase of Nimbus 2000, new wand, school supplies each year.  
Ginny Weasley 100 Galleons per month to Vault 3215, personal vaults, monthly. 19 August 1992, additional purchase of school supplies each year.

Hermione Granger 150 Galleons per month to Vault 2958, personal vault, monthly. 12 July 1991, -removal of underage magic restriction, remove of magical wand trace. Additional purchases of books. See attached list. Access to the Potter and Black library. 

Remus Lupin 400 Galleons per month to Vault 2111, personal vault, monthly. 29 August 1980. Non-authorized by Potter family, granted access by seatholder Albus Dumbledore. Additional purchase each month of Wolfbane Potions, funds to Severus Snape's Potion Vault. 

Albus Dumbledore 1000 Galleons per month to Vault 1197, personal vault. 25 August 1980. Non-authorized by Potter Family, granted access by Seatholder Albus Dumbledore. Addition purchases see attached list.

The Bird Fund 5000 Galleons per month. Split between Vault 1197, personal vault of Albus Dumbledore and Vault 1598, Business Vault of Albus Dumbledore.

Vernon Dursley and Petunia Dursley, nee Evans 200 Galleons per month to Bank of London, personal account. Additional purchases--new car every three years, the house at #4 Privat Drive, Smelting Academy, yearly, annual holidays three times a year. 

Harry started rocking, he had pulled his legs up, wrapped his arms around his legs. The Dark Lord and Severus weren't sure what to do. They didn't have any experience in caring. Severus was trying to think of a potion to use. Spike pointed at Harry and mouthed "hug him." 

Severus and the Dark Lord exchanged looks, the Dark Lord pointed to Severus. Severus reached out and pulled Harry into his arms. The boy didn't resist and soon they could hear tears. "Harry, it's all fixable." 

When the crying slowed down Spike pulled out some parchment. "It is indeed fixable. First, Mr. Potter, I am aware from your reaction that you didn't know about any of this, however, I need you to fill out this form. I have already filled in the figures and items. I just need you to state you didn't authorize these withdrawals than sign."

Harry remained sitting in Severus' lap as he read the form, filled in what was needed. As he went to sign, he stopped. "What will happen?"

"We will issue a fund retrieval. If they do not have the funds, we will make arrangements for the funds to be returned. Interest and fees included. In the case of the Weasley family members, since the Head of House and heir weren't involved, only those members who did the theft will be affected." 

"You aren't a dunderhead." Severus muttered into Harry's ear as Harry signed the parchment.

"Second, we will do the exam, purge, and testing. After that, we will go from there."


	47. Choices Have Side Effects

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Years after the final battle. Dumbledore and Snape live. Dumbledore, however, has been hiding a very big secret.
> 
> Move to main story area.

He really couldn't believe he was finally here, in Romania. Dumbledore had tried to stop him from going, giving him all kinds of weird potions he needed to be made, even some assignments. He informed the Headmaster after almost fifteen years without a proper holiday, he was taking one. 

Severus had arrived three days ago. So far he visited the local potion shops, taken a tour of Dracula's castle, visited the interesting market stalls on the muggle and magical sides and now picking some Nightblood Blooms. He wanted to see if he could improve on some of blood and healing potions using it. He was actually hoping to create a healing potion that also provides a blood replenisher.

"You know you picked a very bad spot to gather ingredients in." A voice from behind him sounded in the stillness of the night.

Severus froze, he looked up, he was surrounded by vampires. "I meant no offense.'

"Dinner is served." A chuckle from the other vampires made his blood run cold. 

"No! He is mine!" A voice Snape recognized, a voice that belonged to someone he thought dead. A voice that Dumbledore had told him died five years ago in the Battle of Hogwarts.

"Potter?" Severus wasn't sure what was going on, but he didn't want to be responsible for getting the Brat-Who-Lived becoming vampire chow.

"Be quiet." Harry ordered stepping through the circle of vampires. "I claim him as mine." The vampires shifted their stance.

"NO! I don't want anything to do with you." What was going on? Why would vampires listen to Potter? A human wizard.

Harry turned, fangs extended, eyes filled with blackness. "Then you will be their dinner. Make your choice."

Snape looked around, he could see the vampires were waiting for his decision. He was trying to process that Potter was a vampire. "Yours." 

"He's dinner, I found him first." A vampire standing directly in front of Harry declared. He couldn't see the features clearly, but the vampire was big. Potter had also grown. 

"He's mine." The growl came out of Potter. 

"Children, children, we shouldn't fight over one human, there are plenty." A voice from behind Severus spoke. Severus didn't turn to see who it was.

"Stuff it, Preacher. I saw him first, he is dinner. I declared it, so it's so." 

"He's agreed to be mine, I claim him as mine, back off Demetrius, or I will kill you here and now."

"I would like to see you try. Your nothing but a coward." Demetrius laughed. "I'll tell you what, you win, he's yours, I win, he's dinner." 

You could almost hear the purr of satisfaction as Harry answered. "Deal." Before Severus could process what happened, Harry was holding Demetrius' head as his body hit the ground. "Anyone else?"

"He's yours." The vampires faded into the night. 

Harry threw the head on the ground and it rolled a bit away. "Come on, let's get you safe before someone else decides you are dinner."


	48. Chapter 48

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Voldie never died. Harry disappeared months after being left at the Dursleys, Dumbledore never noticed. Figg died (ok, ok, not by natural causes),

Harry looked at his relatives as they were here to pick him up. "You ready?"

"More than ever." Harry tried to get them to move along.

"Harry, dear, surely you want to introduce us?" Molly Weasley was close on his heels.

Harry rolled his eyes at his relatives. "Mrs. Weasley, my aunt and uncle, Petunia and Vernon Dursley."

"I've been so excited to meet you. Taking care of our Harry."

Harry made a face, as his Aunt raised an eyebrow and his Uncle looked a bit surprised. "I wasn't aware that Harry had magical relatives."

"Oh, he doesn't, but my Ronnie and he are best friends." 

"We are?" Harry was a bit surprised.

His surprise was brushed over as Molly smiled. "I would love to extend an invitation for Harry to stay with us for a few weeks before the holiday is over."

"Sorry, we are spending our time away this holiday. My sister invited us to her house." Vernon answered. He could see Petunia wasn't thrilled with the invite.

"Oh, I see." Molly was clearly not happy with the news but couldn't do anything about it.

"We need to go, we are expected before nightfall." Petunia started to escort Harry away.

______________________________________________________________

Harry landed out the Castle. "What the hell was that about?" He couldn't believe Molly Weasley. He had met her outside of the platform talking about muggle, he pretended he was clueless and followed whatever plan Dumbledore had set up for him.

"Language. I have no idea, but I want to remove this potion." Bella started towards the Castle.

"I can't believe that woman." Narcissa waved her wand, opening the gates. "Severus has the antidote waiting for us."

"I can't believe my year." Harry muttered.

______________________________________________________

Tom Marvolo Riddle was in his study when the felt the wards admit the trio. He already arranged for Harry's favorite meal tonight. He watched Harry come into his office and plopped down on the couch. "Harry, what have they taught you?"

"They're Gryffindor, what do you expect?"

"True. How was your year?"

"Awful. He actually had me fight a possessed Quirrell." 

"That stuttering one?" Tom wondered what Dumbledore hoped to achieve by having Harry fight a possessed man.

"Yes, he actually told me it was you, and I defeated you with the power of love. The man is batshit crazy."

"Language. However, I don't disagree. Did he really say love?"

"Yes. I was laying in the Infirmary bed-"

"WHAT!" Tom was furious. Why wasn't he told?

"I'm guessing Severus couldn't get away to see you, Dad?" Harry knew the anger wasn't directed at him, but he still didn't like his father angry.

"Start explaining Harrison Marvolo Riddle Slytherin, right now." Tom kept tight control over his magic and his desire to go and kill Dumbledore.

Harry swallowed. "Granger and Weasley were leading me around like we knew they would. Dumbledore fell for the I see my family in that mirror. So last Wednesday, Dumbledore was out of the castle. Weasley and Granger worked hard to convince me Severus was going to steal that fake Philosopher's Stone that Dumbledore arranged to hide."

"Did you find out where the real one was?" Tom had watched Harry's trip through Diagon Alley with Hagrid. Thankfully, Severus was able to alert them the day before to Hagrid arriving to take Harry from his relatives. He had seen and heard all the tales Hagrid had told his son.

"Yes, it was in his office, hiding in the candle dish. It's in my trunk." Harry knew his father was upset, not that he blamed him for it. He had been upset when he woke up in the Infirmary.

"Good, we will send it back to Nicholas. He was afraid Dumbledore was going to have it destroyed." Tom wondered why Dumbledore wanted the original. Anything would have worked. It's not the kids would know the difference.

"I believe he is going to tell Nicholas that, as he made a point of telling me that the Flamels' have their affairs in order."

"Tell me what happened that landed you in the care of Pomfrey?" Tom knew his son was delaying. He was also going to be speaking to Severus. 

"I got them to at least try to warn McGonagall, but she blew us off. I wanted to head to Severus, but I felt a compulsion charm, so I followed them to the stupid maze. I had Granger deal with the Devil's Snare and potion part of the course. Severus' potion kept her from entering the last room. Weasley loved the chessboard and left himself trapped, so he was knocked out. The course was really easy, any first year could have done it. It ended in a room with a very weird Quirrell having you on the back of his head trying to get the stone out of the mirror."

"Me on the back of his head?" 

"Yes, pretending to be. Went on about how I turned him into a wraith. It was all the information from the different tales all told from Voldemort's viewpoint."

"How did you get hurt?"

"I'm not sure about. I think it might have been Dumbledore. He claimed to have shown up at the end after I burned Quirrell by touching, which I know I didn't as I felt the Incendio on his skin. It was starting to burn me, when the wraith form came out, knocked me back, I hit my head. However, the whole thing was weird."

"Explain." 

"How about you view the memory?" 

"I want the memory of the compulsion and the Infirmary." Tom wasn't happy to learn that his son was hurt.

"It's not Severus' fault. If I went and got him, it would have alerted Dumbledore that I wasn't his little pawn. Dumbledore had to teach them the compulsion spell." 

Tom knew his son was right, but he wasn't happy about it. "The memories, and we will discuss keeping you safe next year." 

Harry was a bit relieved, as that at least meant he was going to return to Hogwarts. He began to arrange his thoughts and nodded his head at his father. Tom pulled the memories. "I want Severus and Lucius to review them."


	49. Chapter 49

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life in the house of Tom, Sev, Lucius, and their boys Harry and Draco.

Tom was feeling sickly. He wanted to get comfortable but nothing was working. Harry was sleeping curled next to him as the five-year-old was sick too and didn't want to be without his mommy. Draco was out riding with Lucius. "SEVVIE, why won't the telly turn on!! I tried everything."

"Did you plug it in?" Severus checked Tom's temperature and placed a hand on Harry's head. 

"Plug it in?" 

Severus shook his head and found the power cord and plugged in the telly. He picked up the remote and handed it to Tom. "Try to sleep." He gave Tom a kiss and kissed Harry on the top of his head.

_______________________________________________________

Harry and Draco were laughing. Severus wondered what was so funny in the kitchen. They peeked in and saw Tom covered with dough. Lucius was trying to remove it from Tom, causing Harry to demand he do it again.

"What happened?" Severus asked as he pulled out his wand to assist.

"Master Lucius want to make pizza, he threw into the air, twirling it around, and it landed on Master Tom." The house-elf was staring at the duo. 

The boys laughed even harder. 

_________________________________________________________________

"Daddy, Papa come quick." Draco ran to Severus and Tom. 

"Mommy, Daddy, Father is swearing." Harry informed them, joining his half-brother. 

They followed the boys to the kitchen to see Lucius covered with some kind of brown mix, with a machine hanging from his hair. Severus and Tom got the boys out of the way. "How do we get his hair out of those metal things?"

"They're beaters." Lucius snapped. "I'm never making another cake again. Pull the beaters of out the main part. It might help. At my angle, I can't see enough to do it." 

Severus and Tom tried to figure out how to do it, but Severus had enough and picked up the scissors. 

"My hair!!! Get those infernal scissors away!!! Severus, you will be sleeping on the couch for a month if you cut my hair."

Severus handed the scissors to Tom, who cut away the hair. "You never said he couldn't do it." Severus smirked.

\----------------------------------------------------------

 

"Lucius does this chicken taste like sulfur suddenly?"

'Yes. Did Bella cook again?"

"Take away or restaurant?" Severus sent the food back to the kitchen. 

"I'll get the boys coats."


	50. You Always Need The Right Ingredients

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moved to main area, under You Always Need the Right Ingredients.

"It won't work." Harry tried to tell Dumbledore and the Order. They were all standing around him in white robes. 

Weasley and Granger had stunned Harry at Grimmauld Place. Harry had arrived last week and had spent the week listening to them going on and on about this ritual to help Harry defeat Voldemort. Harry had kept telling them no, that it wouldn't work. Weaslette had stopped trying to hit on him, which should have warned him. 

"Harry, it won't take long." Minerva patted him on the shoulder.

"It won't work." Harry tried again. 

"Harry we know what we are doing. I read all about the ritual." Granger smiled at him. 

"But..." Harry tried again. "guys it won't work!"

"Shush, Harry." Molly put a Silencio put on him. 

"Now, everyone take your places. I will start chanting, you follow once I end the first round." Dumbledore ordered. 

Harry kept trying to get away, but nothing was working. He tried his magic but Dumbledore had bound him, with the aid of the others. He knew this wasn't going to be pleasant.

They kept chanting and chanting. Harry was trying to scream, but they were ignoring him. Harry glared at them in his Animagi form. He roared. 

"I don't think you planned on that." Tonks pointed the furious dragon. 

"Why didn't it work?" Granger grabbed the book.

Harry was now a Dragon, while the rest are staring at him as Severus burst into the room. Everyone was looking at each other trying to figure out who messed up their ritual. Severus was glaring at the group assembled. "HARRY! I told you no rituals! Albus, you never listen to me. I told you it wouldn't work." 

Harry changed but glared. "I tried to tell them. They put a Silencio on me. I would have told you I wasn't a virgin. I mean with all the shagging I've been giving my husband. I didn't want to do the ritual. They-" Harry pointed to Graner and Weasley "stunned me. I tried to warn them, and they did it anyway. Granger and Weasley, again, ignored what I said and didn't want to listen when I told them last week it wouldn't work. Can we go now? I still want to tie you to the bed and see how many times I can shag you before you pass out from orgasming."

"Fine, but you better make it extra special. I had to leave my potion research." Severus gave the Order his death glare. 

"Don't blame me, blame them. I was just happy to have Weaslette leaving me alone this week. Honestly, if they wanted a virgin, the only one is Granger."

"True." Severus cast a group Silencio as all started to yell. "I'm never leaving you alone with them, again." 

"I told you I didn't want to come here." Harry was finished with Hogwarts and had been getting his affairs fixed, not that the Order knew. "Now, let's head home."


	51. Chapter 51

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of Dumbledore quotes from Order of Phoenix

Harry glared. He couldn't believe Dumbledore. He had locked him in his office, and now he was forced to listen to him. He had been lecturing for about five minutes before Harry heard: “but I knew too where Voldemort was weak. And so I made my decision. You would be protected by an ancient magic of which he knows, which he despises, and which he has always, therefore, underestimated – to his cost. I am speaking, of course, of the fact that your mother died to save you. She gave you a lingering protection he never expected, a protection that flows in your veins to this day. I put my trust, therefore, in your mother’s blood. I delivered you to her sister, her only remaining relative.”

“She doesn’t love me.” Harry knew the woman loathed him. “She doesn’t give a damn –”

“But she took you,” Dumbledore cut across him. “She may have taken you grudgingly, furiously, unwillingly, bitterly, yet still she took you, and in doing so, she sealed the charm I placed upon you. Your mother’s sacrifice made the bond of blood the strongest shield I could give you.”

“I still don’t –”

“While you can still call home the place where your mother’s blood dwells, there you cannot be touched or harmed by Voldemort. He shed her blood, but it lives on in you and her sister. Her blood became your refuge. You need return there only once a year, but as long as you can still call it home, where he cannot hurt you. Your aunt knows this. I explained what I had done in the letter I left, with you, on her doorstep. She knows that allowing you houseroom may well have kept you alive for the past fifteen years.” 

Harry wanted to scream that he knew the truth. That his aunt wasn't related to him. He wanted to scream he was through with Dumbledore. He had heard the letter from Dumbledore to his aunt. He remembered how an awful voice filled the kitchen, echoing in the confined space, issuing from the burning letter on the table. “REMEMBER MY LAST, PETUNIA.” His aunt looked as though she might faint. Harry knew Dumbledore didn't know that he had already gotten a few facts out of Petunia. 

“Five years ago, then,” continued Dumbledore, as though he had not paused in his story, “you arrived at Hogwarts, neither as happy nor as well-nourished as I would have liked, perhaps, yet alive and healthy. You were not a pampered little prince, but as normal a boy as I could have hoped under the circumstances.”

Harry was almost dead. The only reason he arrived breathing was, well, he forced himself to. He was about to give up before he got the Hogwarts letter. It was the only thing that kept him from killing his relatives and himself. 

“I cared about you too much,” said Dumbledore simply. “I cared more for your happiness than your knowing the truth, more for your peace of mind than my plan, more for your life than the lives that might be lost if the plan failed. In other words, I acted exactly as Voldemort expects we fools who love to act.”

It took all of Harry's effort not to snort in disbelieve. Care, the man only cared about his weapon. Dumbledore was going to learn the hard way, Harry wasn't a weapon.

“Is there a defense? I defy anyone who has watched you as I have — and I have watched you more closely than you can have imagined — not to want to save you more pain than you had already suffered. What did I care if numbers of nameless and faceless people and creatures were slaughtered in the vague future, if in the here and now you were alive, and well, and happy? I never dreamed that I would have such a person on my hands.” 

Harry knew exactly how well Dumbledore watched him since he had arrived at Hogwarts, but it wasn't about care, it wasn't about a vague future of any nameless or faceless people or creatures, it was about grooming his weapon. He had kept Harry isolate for him to depend on Dumbledore alone, with aid from members of the Order. Harry tuned out the rest of the speech making his escape plans. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________

 

"You have kept him alive so that he can die at the right moment?" Severus was staring at the man, in shock and horror. 

"Don't be shocked, Severus…" Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, playing with his chessboard.

"You have used me… …I have spied for you and lied for you, put myself in mortal danger for you. Everything was supposed to be to keep Lily Potter's son safe. Now you tell me you have been raising him like a pig for slaughter –"

"This is touching, Severus." Dumbledore removed a pawn off of the board, he knew it was Sirius' piece. "Have you grown to care for the boy, after all?"

Severus wanted to kill the old fool. Care? Oh, he was going to show him care. "He's a Potter!" As if that explained everything.

_________________________________________________________________________

"My Lord." Severus bowed, as he greeted Voldemort. 

"Ah, Severus. What did Dumbledore desire?"

"Harry Potter's death." Severus sat down opposite Lucius. He was grateful when a tumbler filled with scotch appeared on the table. 

"So, he really plans on me killing him?" Voldemort really wasn't expecting Dumbledore to make such a bold move.

"Yes, at the end of next year, I'm to pretend to kill Dumbledore, giving you no reason to doubt me. He believes you will allow me to return to Hogwarts as Headmaster after you take over the Ministry. He believes Lucius will deliver the Ministry to you since Fudge and Umbridge are on the way out. The idiot he is supporting, Rufus Scrimgeour, who is an uptight Auror who he knows will abuse his power. Dumbledore believes that it will enable Lucius to get your supporters in, as Scrimgeour plans on firing a lot of muggle-born and half-bloods." He took a sip of his drink. "His plans for Mr. Potter are just creepy. He plans on giving Mr. Potter instructions on Horcruxes and you over the year before it happens, by allowing him to view the variety of memories he has collected on you, my Lord."

"Horcruxes and memories of me?"

"Stalkerish." Lucius commented. 

"Yes, he believes the diary that was destroyed, was a Horcrux, and so is Mr. Potter. To destroy the rest, he wants the trio to go on Horcrux hunting. He even plans on collecting Mr. Potter on his birthday to recruit Slughorn as the potion instructor, moving me to DADA. He believes Mr. Potter will be able to convince Horace to tell him how you learned about them, from a book he said Horace gave you." 

"Yes, he did. Lots of compulsions in the book too, but I knew what it was as soon as I felt the book. Slughorn has a fake memory of giving me the book and my grateful expression." 

"How do you want to handle Mr. Potter's birthday visit?" Lucius thought Bella might want to visit the relatives. 

"I believe we will be collecting them before that. As a present to Harry." Voldemort smirked. "A few Order members would be nice to gather also." 

"I will see if I can learn who they are planning to use for guards. Dumbledore's plan is to bring him to the Order's safehouse after that." Severus closed his eyes for a few seconds. "He also plans on making sure Mr. Potter isn't aware of the Mutt's Will and that the Order house belongs to Mr. Potter."

"That explains the letter I just received." Harry handed the letter to Voldemort. 

Dear Harry,

If it is convenient to you, I shall call at number four, Privet Drive this coming Friday at eleven P.M. to escort you to the Burrow, where you have been invited to spend the remainder of your school holidays.

If you are agreeable, I should also be glad of your assistance in a matter to which I hope to attend on the way to the Burrow. I shall explain this more fully when I see you.

I must also inform you that Sirius left you 12 Grimmauld Place and Kreacher. Harry if you refuse to accept anything in Sirius' Will, the next member to receive it would be Bellatrix Lestrange. She would gain control over the house, the vaults, and Kreacher. We will discuss you signing the agreement to continue allowing the Order to use the house.

Kindly send your answer by return of this owl. Hoping to see you this Friday,

I am, yours most sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore

"I also found this, when I was exploring the junk room and found all those old books. I don't think Dumbledore realized it was in them." Harry handed another letter to Voldemort. 

Gellert -  
Your point about Wizard dominance being FOR THE MUGGLES' OWN GOOD - this, I think, is the crucial point. Yes, we have been given power and yes, that power gives us the right to rule, but it also gives us responsibilities over the ruled. We must stress this point, it will be the foundation stone upon which we build. Where we are opposed, as we surely will be, this must be the basis of all our counterarguments. We seize control FOR THE GREATER GOOD. And from this, it follows that where we meet resistance, we must use only the force that is necessary and no more. (This was your mistake at Durmstrang! But I do not complain, because if you had not been expelled, we would never have met.)

Albus


	52. Chapter 52

Petunia guided Harry to the platform. She showed him where to enter. She gave him a hug and some more money. "Remember, if you need anything, anything at all, you write. Don't let anyone bother you."

Harry smiled at her and nodded his acceptance of her words. He gave her a quick hug before he stepped through the barrier. He weaved his way through the crowd of people and made his way onto the train. He found a seat, pulled out a book, pulled the hood up over his head, curled into the corner and started to read. While some might think Potions was boring, Harry found it fascinating. It was a lot like chemistry, and he loved chemistry.

He glanced up when the train stopped, surprised to find a red-haired boy, with a rat, sitting in the compartment with him. He gathered his belongings, including the shrunken trunk he put in his pocket and followed the group of students to the carriages. He felt a bit weird seeing the carriages pulled by winged, skeleton horses, but it was the magical world. His Aunt and Uncle warned him about how it was going to be weird. He sat down at the first table and began to look around the huge room. 

It had four long tables that ran horizontal, with a raised table that went vertical at the opposite end from the huge wooden doors he had entered in. There were floating candles, making the night sky sparkle even brighter. He was surprised at how many students there were. His former school wasn't that big. He could see the Professors were sitting at the vertical table, and watched an older woman leave the room. He wondered who the weird guy with clown outfit on was. 

Harry frowned a bit as a group of students entered the room. He saw the red-hair boy, he realized they must be his classmates, and he joined them as they walked by him. He saw the old woman pull out a scroll, and start shouting out names. He watched as child after child sat on a stool, a hat put on their head, and when removed, head towards a table. He faced the woman as she went down the list, he waited for his name. 

When it was his turn, he sat down on the stool and waited. The hat landed on his head, but all he could see was darkness. He remained still, waiting. Finally, the hat was removed. He looked up and the old woman was frowning at him. "Well, go on." 

Harry had no idea what she meant, so he headed back to where he was originally sitting, only to get pulled to another table. He didn't like being pulled, but since he had no idea what was going on, he allowed it. 

_______________________________________________________________

Harry was getting annoyed. No one was explaining anything to him, the Professors didn't speak to him, he had no idea what he was to do for assignments, as he didn't see anything written down. Today was his first potion class and he hated not knowing what he was missing. His Aunt has said to give it time, she explained that during the first week or so staff and students were going to be adjusting to a new schedule, new students, and getting back into being in classes. 

Harry pulled out his map and headed for where it said the potions class was. He made his way, saw a group of students he recognized and knew he was in the right place. He leaned against the wall, following their example, and waited. 

He followed them in when they started moving and found a seat in the back of the room. He pulled out his notebook, pen, and book. He ignored the red-hair boy. He had been annoying him all week. He was always pulling him, and the bushy-haired girl had hit him yesterday. He had no idea why, but his Uncle always said you don't hit girls.

He was trying to figure out what the dark-haired man was saying but he kept turning away. He saw the dark-haired man storming towards him, he jumped when he felt the vibrations rock the table. The man was clearly expecting something but Harry was confused. He looked around for help but no one was doing anything. The man started screaming at him, judging by the way his mouth was moving. Harry started to sign that he didn't know what was being said. Only his hands were grabbed and forced down. The dark-hair turned and stormed away. 

Harry had enough. He packed up his stuff, got off of the stool and left the classroom. He walked up to his dorm, gathered his belongs, packed his trunk, shrunk it, and left. He walked straight out of Hogwarts and headed for the town he had seen from the window. He had a letter already written out by his aunt explaining how to get in touch with her. 

_________________________________________________________________________

Petunia and Vernon were furious as they listened to all that happened to their nephew. There was no way he was returning to Hogwarts. "Harry, you were accepted to Royal School for the Deaf, it's not too late. I will write to them on Monday. I also know Professor Tillis will accept you back in his chemistry program. He said he would." 

______________________________________________________________________________

"It's them." Petunia glared out the window at the badly dressed wizard, with a wizard in black, and a witch in tartan on their doorstep. 

"Took them long enough to realize Harry was missing." Vernon never cared for wizards after meeting Sirius Black, but hearing how his nephew was treated made his blood boil. 

They heard a knock on the door again. Petunia got up and headed for the door. She didn't want Harry to see the blinking light and open the door to find wizards on their doorsteps. "You are not welcomed here."

"Mrs. Dursley, we are here because Harry is missing and we are hoping he is here." Dumbledore gave her a slight smile.

"He arrived here yesterday. Thankfully someone in your world actually helped him, finally." Petunia glared.

"I'm afraid I don't understand. You see, we were going to speak to Harry yesterday about his behavior in Professor Snape's class." Dumbledore smiled. "Perhaps we can speak inside."

Petunia huffed. "Pet, let them in, you know they won't go away otherwise. Look at how many letters they sent when Harry told them no." 

"You're right, they would." Petunia opened the door wider, granting them entrance. Vernon escorted the trio to the sitting room. Petunia headed to the kitchen to get some tea. 

"I'm sure we can work everything out." Dumbledore began to explain. "Harry left rather suddenly yesterday." 

"I don't blame him for it. After how you treated him." Vernon snapped, not missing the look of distaste that appeared on the one dressed in black. 

Petunia arrived with tea before anyone else could speak. As she poured Harry came down the stairs. He saw the three sitting there and looked at his aunt. "What are they doing here?" He signed.

"We are trying to find out." Petunia signed and spoke at the same time. "They just arrived a few minutes ago. Why don't you go and read your new chemistry book that Professor Tillis sent over." 

"I don't want to go back." Harry wasn't going to return to Hogwarts.

Severus Snape looked a bit shocked as Minerva McGonagall gasped. "He's deaf." 

"Well, of course, he is. He was born deaf. Dumbledore left him on our doorstep without a by your leave, and you didn't know he was deaf? Are you people really that stupid?" Petunia was furious.

"You left a toddler on their doorstep? A deaf one?" Severus couldn't believe what he was learning. He saw Vernon signing what was being said, as he watched Harry frown. Harry signed something.

"No, it appears they didn't know. How I don't know is beyond me." Petunia knew Mrs. Figg was a squib, she knew the name from Lily and knew the woman was part of the group that got her sister and James killed.

"I believe it's a slight misunderstanding." Dumbledore felt relieved, he now needed to get Harry Potter to agree to return to Hogwarts. Since it was clearly a matter of miscommunications it would be easy.

"He isn't returning." Vernon and Petunia stated at the same time. 

"He is already enrolled, his parents signed him when he was born. We can adjust his classes so that he will be able to keep up." 

"No, we saw his schedule. You don't have any type of math, English, science, liberal arts, foreign language or even pre-university electives." Vernon saw the courses they taught and wondered how they expected the kids to learn how to make a living after Hogwarts. 

Harry moved closer to his aunt, leaning against her chair. "How do you expect a child who never even wrote with a quill to write with one without instructions, not to mention how about the way to cut ingredients for potions, or even how to write on parchment paper. Just because you might have grown up knowing doesn't mean you should start those new to the magical world off so far behind." Petunia had watched Lily struggle with learning that stuff, and Lily has people around her she could understand.

"Excuse me, I am wondering why didn't you inform us he was deaf?" Minerva didn't know why Lily or James didn't tell them. Suddenly it dawned on her. "He wasn't born deaf, he is deaf because of the attack." She knew she said it barely above a whisper but everyone heard her.

Dumbledore had his wand out. Harry saw the wand and his magic reacted to a wand being pointed at him. Dumbledore's wand was in Harry's hand. "My dear boy, I wasn't going to harm you." Dumbledore looked at the Elder Wand in Harry Potter's hand. It wouldn't work for him any longer. "Severus, perhaps you could run a medical scan on Harry. Focus on the scar."

"What scar?" Petunia wondered what the man was talking about. 

"Why the one on his forehead." Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling.

"He doesn't have a scar. If you mean the one you didn't heal, when you left him on our doorstep, I took him to Gringotts. They weren't impressed finding a Horcrux in my nephew. I believe they wrote about six years ago, saying that someone named Voldemort was now officially deceased. All seven of his Horcruxes were destroyed." Petunia enjoyed watching Dumbledore's face pale at that news. 

Severus, however, smirked. "I told you when my mark disappeared he was gone. Mr. Potter, I offer my apologies for what occurred in my classroom. At the time, I believed you weren't paying attention as I had asked you numerous questions and didn't get a response."

Harry signed something. "He says accepted." Vernon and Petunia waited to see if the man who did the most damage to Harry would apologize. They knew why Harry had been left on their doorstep. They had read the Wills and knew they weren't to get custody, and neither was Dumbledore. They wanted Harry to grow up around magic. Vernon had put a stop to any and all withdraws on the Potter accounts, left the seats to remain empty until Harry wanted to take control. They had assigned an Account Manager, that invested in both worlds. They had Dumbledore removed as Harry's magical guardian, and asked the Ministry for a neutral person to be assigned if Harry decided to attend Hogwarts. 

"I see." Dumbledore was now confused. No Horcruxes, no Voldemort, it couldn't be that simple. The prophecy stated that they must meet and that Harry must vanquish Voldemort. He had to regain control over Harry, and get things back in order.


	53. Who?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warnings on this :
> 
> BDSM  
> Sex  
> Slash
> 
> Moved to main area

Dumbledore beamed as his favorite owl returned to Hogwarts. He had sent a letter to Harry Potter as his official acceptance to Hogwarts. He knew the boy must have a ton of question, as he knew Petunia wouldn't have given him any information. He eagerly opened the letter, while thinking of all the way to brag to all the Headmasters that he had Harry Potter in his school. 

NO

Dumbledore flipped the lined paper over, nothing. He looked at the block style writing. It must be the Dursleys answering. He pulled out a blank piece of parchment and wrote another letter, included the original acceptance letter and book list. He sent it off with a new owl. 

The next day:

Dumbledore was returning to his office after breakfast and saw the owl sitting here. He saw a new letter on his desk. He eagerly opened it. 

NO!

He frowned, perhaps he should write out that Harry didn't have to pay for schooling and that his parents enrolled him. Maybe the Dursleys were worried about money? Perhaps they weren't willing to pay for school supplies? Yes, that had to be it. 

He wrote detailed instructions about the Potter Vaults, included the trust information, and how he was Harry's magical guardian. He would handle everything for Harry. He sent the letter off with his now rested favorite owl.

The next day:

He was sitting in his office, waiting for Harry Potter's acceptance letter. He didn't realize Petunia was so spiteful. He should have added a compulsion to make sure Harry went to Hogwarts or at least saw his letter. His favorite owl dropped the letter on his desk while he was thinking what to do if he got another refusal. Honestly, muggles!

He opened the letter. 

HELL NO!!!!!! 

Well, time for a visit. He would leave Minerva behind as he didn't really want to listen to her nag about her being right and saying "and that makes you wrong." 

The next day:

Severus was furious at being dragged with him to speak to Petunia about Harry Potter. Severus had ranted for a full ten minutes about how spoiled the boy must be if he couldn't even answer his own letters. As they approached the house they saw two hugely overweight boys, one with blond hair, another with dark hair. "You said he wasn't spoiled." 

Dumbledore began to revamp his plans, including a diet and exercise plan for Harry. They walked up to the door. "What do you want?" The fat blond boy demanded.

"I'm here to speak to your mother." Dumbledore smiled. "Is she at home?"

"Mom, some freaks are here. They are even wearing dresses." The blond one yelled into the house, not inviting them in. 

Petunia appeared in the doorway. She looked confused. She opened the door wider, allowing them to step into the house. "Boys, why don't you go to the movies, I have some cash on the counter. I'll get some tea." The boys followed Petunia into the kitchen. 

"Mom? Why are they here?" The dark haired boy quietly asked. He didn't like these strange men.

"I'm not sure. Go with your brother, and listen to him." Petunia made them leave by the backdoor. Once they were gone, she stopped gathering the tea things and headed into the sitting room. "Why are you here?"

"We came to speak to you about Harry." Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling.

"Who?"

"Your nephew, Harry." Dumbledore noticed all the pictures of the family of five, there was a little girl that had dark hair also.

"Why would my nephew be here? Wouldn't he be with his parents? I know Lily hasn't written anything in almost a decade, so I'm not sure why you are here looking for my nephew or are you looking for all of them?" Petunia and Lily hadn't spoken since before Lily married that idiot.

Severus frowned. "Tunie, you don't know?" 

"Severus? What is going on? Why are you here?" 

Dumbledore sighed. "Petunia, we need to speak to you about Harry or whatever name you are calling him."

"I haven't seen Harry, Lily, or that idiotic husband of hers and his friends. The one name Sirius turned my husband into a dog, then pink, and well, you get the idea. I haven't spoken to any of since that day." Petunia wasn't thrilled by magic and certainly wasn't impressed by Potter or Black.

"Tunie, regretfully I must inform you that Lily and James were killed ten years, on Halloween in 1981. Harry was placed here." Severus nicely explained. He had agreed with Minerva that just leaving a note and a baby on a doorstep was not even close to being a smart move.

Petunia blinked for a few minutes, slowly processing the news. "What do you mean left here? Why weren't we informed my sister and her husband were killed? Where is my nephew now?" Tears were starting to run down her face. Severus passed her a handkerchief. 

"Who is the dark haired boy?" Dumbledore knew it was Harry, perhaps she just didn't remember or maybe a bit of accidental magic from a boy despite for a mother.

"No, you tell me what is going on? Showing up here ten years later and informing me my sister was killed, her husband also and that you LEFT A TODDLER ON MY STEPS!"

"Pet?" Vernon entered the room, carrying a dark-haired little girl. "What did you do to my wife?" 

"Vernon, they left a toddler on the steps ten years ago. My nephew, Harry. My sister and James were murdered." Tears were coming faster.

"Mommy, mommy!" Vernon put his daughter down and she ran to her mother. 

"You better start explaining." Vernon wasn't a happy man. He was furious by the time Dumbledore had finished explaining what happened ten years ago. 

"Now, we can't accept Dudley, but we can accept Harry since he is a wizard." Dumbledore pointed to the pictures on the table. 

"We don't know where Harry is." Vernon wanted to hit the old man, at least the younger one had some manners and clearly was as confused as they were. Didn't the old man grasp the idea of what might have happened? 

"I believe the Headmaster means the dark-haired boy that was here earlier." Severus didn't think it was Harry Potter, the boy looked like his father with Tunie's coloring. 

"My children's names are Dudley, who is now eleven, Roderick, the dark-haired child, is now 9, and our daughter, Rose who is going to turn six next month. We never saw Harry nor did we know he was left here. You should be thankful we can't get you charged with child abandonment. Honestly, leaving a toddler on a doorstep." Petunia started crying again. "The things that could have happened to him and no one looking for him for ten years." 

"Pet, why don't you and Rose go upstairs. I will see what can be done." Vernon knew the figures of them finding Harry now. He had been very vigilant in regards to his children's safety. 

Severus pulled out his potion pouch. "Tunie, take this. It will help." He handed her a calming draught. "I'm sorry, I thought he had actually spoken to you." 

Petunia took the potion phial. "He should have." A deeply shaken Petunia led her daughter out of the room. She had originally believed they were here to tell her Dudley was a wizard, not that she believed that.

___________________________________________________________________________

Ten years later:

"We think it's him." George was sitting between Fred and Bill. 

"We followed him, but we couldn't get into the club. It's private, very private." Fred looked around at the Order. There really wasn't anyone that would fit in with the club. 

"We tried, but nothing worked. We think-"

"It's a magical club." They looked around at the group of Order members, all tired, all weary of Voldemort. 

"Are you sure? Albus, we have to get him." Black was about ready to run out the door, Lupin's hand was the only thing stopping him. 

"Why do you believe that?" Dumbledore had spent the last ten years looking for Harry Potter. He had tried everything he could think of. Voldemort had returned that first year, with the aid of the Sorcerer's Stone. He had hoped all year to find Harry and ignored the advice of his staff about putting in more safeguards.

"He had long hair pulled back, but he looked as close to that picture of James Potter." The twins wondered who Dumbledore was going to select to go to the club. "He's tall, well built, but no glasses." 

"What is its name? I will go tonight." Black was almost jumping out of his seat, again, Lupin restrained him with a death grip on Black's arm. "Albus, we have to get him. He could be in danger."

"It's called the Black Rose. It's a very private club." The twins had asked about membership. "The yearly membership is 2500 Galleons for the basic, that is just to get in the door." The group started to try and figure out how to pay for that. No one had that kind of money to spend.

"He had the VIP, the highest level, which was 10000 Galleons per year." They twins produced the membership application. "We saw the color of his card, it was gold." They pointed to the fees. There were numerous levels listed, with the gold being the most exclusive and expensive.

"500 Galleon for a filing fee?" Ron Weasley looked down the prices. "A background check? References? How are we going to provide any of this?"

Everyone was debating how to catch Harry before he went into the club, Black screaming about hurting his godson while Mad-Eye was thinking of setting traps. "Yes, kidnap Potter, and expect him to aid us. That will work." Severus looked around at the group. "You know nothing about him, how he was raised, and you expect to just kidnap him and bring him to where? Here? Hogwarts? Expect him to just leap into his role you have created for him and be willing to do it?" 

"Why wouldn't he?" Numerous voices were confused as to why their Savior wouldn't help them, forgetting that Harry Potter wasn't part of their group. That Harry Potter didn't even know they existed, most likely.

"You lot are crazy." Charlie Weasley finally spoke. "How about you think of it from his viewpoint? You plan on stealing him from where ever he lives, want him to fight someone he has no way of even knowing about, after being held hostage? What do we say, oh sorry about the kidnapping, but there is the guy we want you to kill, have at it." 

"Not to mention, we don't even know who taught him magic. Where his feelings regarding the war are. Technically, there isn't a war, so how do we even know he is even aware of You-Know-Who? He could have been raised in another country for all we know." Bill Weasley glanced at his wife, who nodded her agreement. Fleur was against the whole concept that only one person could defeat Voldemort.

"Those are valid concerns, more information would be better. So, we need to get someone into this club. What type of club is it? I don't recognize most of these terms." Dumbledore was reading down the applications "interest" area. "They can't be that bad, they have puppies, kittens, horses, even babies listed." 

Severus, who had been drinking his tea, spit it all over the table, as Black announced: "it's a sex club, those are role-playing games that some use." Minerva and Molly flushed with embarrassment. Black snatched the list out of Dumbledore's hands. "It looks like a BDSM sex club. High end based on what they are offering. Must be a huge building." 

"I don't even want to know how you would know that." Tonks' hair was as red as her face.

"Had to bust a drug ring that was based out of one of those muggle type of clubs. James and I, James was the submissive, natural one too, so Harry must be one." 

"So we need to send in what a dominate?" Remus looked down the list. 

"I believe so." Black frowned at the list. "How else would he have been able to pay? After all, doms usually pay for the submissives if they are in a relationship. Some get in for free, but that is usually for females." Harry had never been to his vaults. They had hoped to catch him at Gringotts so that he could buy school supplies.

"Why don't we send someone in as a submissive to make sure, if they get in, they can see if he is really a VIP or submissive?"

"Won't work, we tried to get in as submissives-" Fred really didn't want to admit more than they had too. This was something they didn't want to admit.

"-they give you truth serum." The Twins really didn't want to reveal that they had tried. They weren't against the lifestyle, they enjoyed games with their partners, but this club wasn't for novices or people who wanted to experiment. 

"You what? How could you?" Molly started ranting. "A sex club, how could you?" She started a long rant about dens of iniquity, the morals of those who must be members. 

She shut up when Arthur put a hand on her shoulder. "Molly, we needed to know."

"Severus will go. He should have no issue in gaining entrance." Dumbledore decided. "I'm sure we can provide the correct references and anything else that is needed."

"Me?" 

"Him? It's my godson." 

"As the twins said, they use truth serum. If they ask your name they might link it to Harry Potter. Severus doesn't have that link." Dumbledore explained. "Also, his mark might be a way in. Since Harry is a submissive, Severus, as the dominant can get him out without kidnapping him. It might take a while to get him away from his current dominate but I'm sure Severus will be able to do it."

Severus knew this was a bad plan, especially as Granger piped in. "We can research what each classification entails."

________________________________________________________________

Severus slammed his shields down. This was his interview for membership into the club. He knew truth serum would be used, but he wasn't worried. He was a potion master and with his shields, he felt he could present the truth without revealing the whole truth. 

He was dressed in an Armani black suit, with a Slytherin Green silk shirt, matching black vest, and a black tie. He only wore the green shirt because the women kept insisting he had to wear something besides black. When he pointed out the green shirt, he got eye rolls. He was wearing black dragon hide ankle boots. He had to admit he did like the suit, however, he was grateful he wasn't paying for everything. 

The club looked like an old brick warehouse that had been revamped. The area was quiet and near the water. He could see a lot of grass, which was a bit surprising for a warehouse area. The windows were tinted black, and there was white awning hanging over the steel door. The was a black rose on the front of the awning.

"Name and identification?" A big dark-haired man stepped out of the club. He was dressed in all black and Severus wondered if a country was missing their mountain. The man was all muscle.

Severus opened his wallet and pulled out his new muggle license. "Severus Snape." 

"You are expected." The mountain opened the door, allowing Severus to enter. "Just go straight, they are expecting you."

Severus worked on building his persona. He had spent weeks listening to Black and Granger give him points on what was involved in the BDSM world, he had to refrain from laughing at them. They were utterly clueless. He entered into a huge open space. There were black leather couches and chairs with tables scattered around the room. There was a huge round black walnut bar in the center of the room. He could see doors along the three walls he could see. There were people cleaning the furniture and someone was restocking the bar. "Mr. Snape, please have a seat." 

Severus saw three men were sitting on one of the couches, a man was kneeling next to one, holding out a drink. "Actually, he will be coming with me." Severus froze, he didn't want to turn to the voice. "Now, pet."

Severus lowered his head and walked towards where he heard the voice. "Sir?" One of the men wasn't sure what was going on. 

"He belongs to me, don't you, pet?"

"Yes, Master." Severus still didn't look up but he knew he was in trouble. He hadn't told his Master about this mission. 

Severus followed the black leather-clad legs of his Master. He wasn't sure where they were going but his brain finally connected the club with his Master. His Master owned the club and usually was here to run the place. He always met his master at his home. "You have a lot of explaining to do." The tone warned it has better be good or his punishment would be worse.

"Yes, Master." Severus and his Master started their relationship three years ago. They had been at a "gathering" of like-minded individuals, in Spain, when his Master started talking to him. His Master didn't demand answers, didn't assume anything about Severus, instead, they had spent the day talking, and it went from there.

They went up some stairs, and down another hall. He heard keys as his Master unlocked the door. "I was in my office when I saw your name appear as arriving." He watched the legs disappear behind a desk. 

"I'm sorry Master, I wasn't aware that this was your club." Severus remained where he was.

"That isn't why I'm upset, Severus, you have an application in as a dominant. Are you unsatisfied with our relationship?"

"No, Master. I'm here because of Dumbledore and his Order." Severus went to his knees. "They are looking for Harry Potter and thought he was here."

"You better explain this. I thought Harry Potter was dead or something. Come here and sit with me." 

Severus rose and walked towards his Master. The man was taller than him, had long black hair that was braided down his back, with hazel eyes. He went to kneel but instead was seated on his Master's lap. "I have missed you these last few weeks, is Dumbledore the reason why?" 

"Yes, Master." Severus explained what Dumbledore had ordered him to do. 

"So who do they believe is this Harry Potter?" His Master had studied magic in China and Japan. He knew he was from Britain originally, which is why he returned. 

"I'm not sure, they didn't get a name, only a basic description which could have fit anyone I saw downstairs." Severus leaned back, resting against his Master. "I'm sorry I didn't inform you." 

"You will be punished later. I don't like the Order snooping around in my business if they start it might make the Death Eater take notice." 

"I had to mention it to the Dark Lord. He started laughing. Master, the Order will want to know your name, and if I'm accepted. They expect me to take a few weeks to find Harry Potter and dominate him."

"Why do they assume he is a submissive?" 

"Black believes it. He has this idea that Harry is exactly like his father." 

"Tell them you are accepted, but you will need to be here a lot. Keep the rest of them away. You can give them my name, say I approved your membership. Though I am wondering how they came up with the funds." 

"I'm not sure, but Dumbledore is good at it." Severus had wondered for years where the funds Dumbledore used came from. He knew it wasn't the Potter or Black vaults. Orion Black named Harry Potter heir and put a cap on how much Sirius was allowed to remove from the family vaults. "They're going to wonder who Shue Li is." 

"Let them. I am legally here. I even have my British NEWTs."


	54. To Catch A Thief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moved to main area

Harry dodged the man wearing black and kept running. He weaved between people, the guy was quick but he was quicker and knew the streets better. He jumped up onto the trash bins, working his way to the iron stairs of the warehouse. He climbed up them, glancing down once and saw the man in black looking around for him, he kept climbing. He made it to the roof and ran across the roofs, jumping over some of the gaps. This was the fifth day the man had found him. 

He thought about that weird letter, and the ones that followed that had his locations on it. Maybe? He grinned. He knew the owls would find him again tomorrow. He hoped it worked, the man was ruining his business.

He was sitting under the bridge, looking for the owls. He saw them incoming. They dumped a slew of letters, and Harry began to change the addresses on each letter. He didn't open them, he just handed them back to the owls, once they were gone, he went about his business. 

He did that for the next week. Honestly, were they really that lame? He had taken a few phone books and wrote down the names and addresses of random people from the different areas he worked. The owls arrived again, but this time the letters felt different. Harry focused on the letters and watched as each one shined a bit and the funny feeling was gone. He wrote famous peoples names and locations on the letters this time. He hoped the Royal Family liked owls. 

________________________________________________________________________

"The Queen?" Minerva and the rest of the Heads of Houses were at a loss. Everything they had tried failed. They had spent days visiting people who clearly were muggles. They spent days searching the areas for Harry Potter.

"Yes, and the complete Royal Family. Cornelius wasn't very happy." Dumbledore had spent over an hour calming the man down. "Severus, any luck?"

"No, I thought I saw him two weeks ago, but he is fast, agile, and sneaky." Severus actually admired the skills the boy was displaying, he knew he would be laughing at anyone else if they told this story, but since it was him, he was determined not to be outsmarted by a Potter. He wasn't going to admit the boy had also robbed him. He got everything but his wand in a matter of seconds. 

"It doesn't help that his relatives kept everything hidden. He has been living on the streets for six years, frankly, I'm surprised he is still alive, never mind been caught by the police." Pomona sighed. "Honestly, Albus, what were you thinking?" 

"I thought they would love him." 

Severus scoffed at that, as Minerva huffed. "I warned you." 

________________________________________________________________

~What do you mean, I might have money?~ Harry looked down at the snake curled up by the fireplace in his small shack in woods. He had found the shack after an old man had told him about it. It was in the wooded area outside of London, yet he could get to London daily by the bus.

~Wizard have separate money. That funny stuff you picked up from the man in black. It's money. The stuff in bottles is called potions.~ 

~How do you know?~ Harry had liked how much stuff the pouches could hold and not get heavy. Amber had taught him a lot in the years they had been together. His family left him behind in the woods after a company picnic. They had never returned. 

~Mother, she belonged to a wizard, I was almost a full snake when she and her wizard disappeared. Add more wood before we go to sleep.~

~Don't I always?~ Harry threw on a few more pieces of wood. He got up and checked the door and windows. He made sure no light could be seen by the outside world, the smoke from the fireplace was something that Amber explained how to cover up by focusing on making it disappear. He pulled out some of the cold packs he froze in the river each day so that he would be cool while Amber enjoyed the warmth of the fire. He wrapped one around his neck and placed the other one on the bed. 

Harry sat on his bed, the fan was going. He was making a list of things he would need to collect for the oncoming winter. Even though it was early in July, he still needed to plan for winter. ~Do we go someplace to turn it in for real money?~ 

~Yes, but you should check out why they put Potter on those weird letters.~ 

~Maybe it's my last name?~

____________________________________________________________________________

"Severus, I just got a message from Tom at the Leaky Cauldron. He believes Harry might be headed to Gringotts. Harry seemed confused and asked for directions to a bank." 

"And?" 

"I need you to go and get him. I don't believe anyone else would be able to keep up with him." Dumbledore hoped it was Harry. He had so many leads that went nowhere. He started walking towards the front doors, giving Severus no other option but to follow. 

Severus arched an eyebrow, as he walked next to Dumbledore. "What do you expect me to do with him if I manage to corral the hoodlum?" 

"Bring him here, we can explain everything. Once he understands, I'm sure he will fit in with the Weasley family." 

"Albus, I'm only going to say this once, so listen for a change, if you put him with the Weasley family, you will be making a huge mistake. This boy isn't your Gryffindor Savior. He isn't some hero. This boy is street smart, cunning, and since he has survived so long, sneaky. All the traits that Gryffindors aren't." 

"My boy, he is James and Lily's son, I'm sure he will fit in with the Weasleys." Dumbledore already spoke to Molly about having Harry live there. He arranged a small fee to be paid to her from the Potter trust. 

"Your error." Severus didn't wait for a response but headed out to Gringotts. 

__________________________________________________________________________

"So, let me see if I am understanding you correctly. I'm Harry Potter, Albus Dumbledore has been using funds from my account and has made arrangements for me to live with another family, while he maintains control over my life?" 

"Yes, that is accurate." 

"How do I change this? I haven't lived with the Dursleys since I was five or so. I have been living on my own since my relatives abandoned me in the woods. I have never met this Albus Dumbledore, nor anyone from your world until today." 

"That does change things. I will need a sworn statement, signed with a Blood Quill. We did a complete family history, an Inheritance Test, and our healers have fixed any issues you had. The tests show no other direct family, but distant family. So I will suggest we file for an emancipated minor. If Albus Dumbledore tries to get control returned to him, we will be able to stop it since we will be filing for your magical guardianship to be your distant family in America. That will enable you to remain emancipated yet also protected, as he has no sway in America."

Harry and Griphook spent the next two hours working on the details, including a fireside chat with his distant relatives, who agreed to the plan. They had actually tried to gain custody of Harry, but Dumbledore had blocked them. They invited Harry to spent Yule and any holidays with them. They would send him a permanent port-key and made arrangements to pay for Harry's clothes. Harry didn't want them to pay, but after they said either they pay for the clothes or everything. Harry went with the clothes. Griphook, after they finished speaking to Harry's relatives, explained to Harry the terms he didn't understand, things like port-keys, robes, floo travel.

Harry headed out of Griphook's office and saw the man in black in the bank lobby. "Griphook, who is that? He has been looking for me." 

"Professor Severus Snape, Potion Master at Hogwarts, works for Dumbledore." Griphook could see the Potion Master was trying to be discrete in his searching. 

"Interesting." Harry looked around, hoping to see another exit. "Any other way out?"

"Not without him seeing you. The floo network is across the lobby."

"Just my luck. What is your policy on fights?" Harry knew Severus Snape would give as well as he got. Unfortunately, Harry's size was both an advantage and disadvantage with a man skilled in a fighting.

"We prefer to be the ones spilling the blood." 

"Well, I best get this over with." Harry hoped the man had more of those interesting expandable pouches. Harry slowly walked towards the bench and sat down next to Severus. "You know, you really need to stop following me, I'm going to become paranoid if you don't."

"Mr. Potter." Severus had seen the boy walking towards him. 

"Yes, just learned that. Interesting isn't it?"

"What?" 

"What the mind accepts as normal." Harry watched the goblins handle the wizards business, watched everyone ignore the two of them just sitting on the bench. 

"Come, you have been requested to join the Headmaster at Hogwarts." 

Harry wasn't about to let Dumbledore win any battle, never mind the war. "Nope, not going. Tell him I said hi. I need to go shopping, need to get some clothes, books, and the like." He could hear Amber hissing her agreement. "I have years of magic to catch up on." He made arrangements with Griphook to have a private tutor meet him at his new home. 

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice." 

"Oh, but I do. He's not my magical guardian. He has no say over me until I start Hogwarts, and only as my Headmaster. He really should have checked on me." 

"Mr. Potter, it's simple, I can either drag you there or you can go peacefully. I do not care either way." 

"If you do, I will have you and him charged with kidnapping. I'm sure my guardians would also encourage me to press charges if they didn't." Harry showed him his new guardianship papers. "Like I said, he should have checked on me."

"Indeed. I look forward to seeing you come September." Severus knew this boy was no Gryffindor. He wanted to laugh, the boy outplayed Dumbledore already. This coming school year was going to be interesting.

"Any potion books you might suggest?" 

"Let the clerk at the store I sent you. They will make sure you have everything." 

Harry waited until Severus was gone. He smirked, another potion pouch and expandable bag. He couldn't wait to see what was in them.

__________________________________________________________

Severus was getting a headache listening to Dumbledore complain about not having Harry Potter in his possession. "You let him get away." 

"I'm not being charged with kidnapping. You aren't his magical guardian." Severus began to reach for his potion pouch. He frowned. He stood up and began searching all his pockets. "That brat!"

"What is wrong?" Minerva had been ignoring Dubledore's rant as she was working on some of Hogwart's paperwork. 

"He stole everything but my wand!" 

"Oh dear."


	55. Chapter 55

Harry looked down at the parchment. He was looking around the room and seeing everyone was also reading their parchments. He read it twice, there was no way this was right, using his hair as a cover he glanced at Dumbledore, who was staring at him. Eagerness on his face. Harry huffed. He was sick of these games. 

He endured the abuse of the Dursley family, and about the time he was ready to leave them, he got a strange letter days before his 11th birthday, he later learned all magical students got their letters on their tenth birthday. In his research, he found it was part of a ritual that allowed parents to prepare their children for Hogwarts. Hermione had a year to get ready, which explained why she knew so much. 

So off he went to Hogwarts, instead of being safe, he found a different type of abuse, only to be returned to his relatives house. He had endured trolls, possessions, snakes, crazy DADA professors, blood quills, mind rape by Snape, and manipulation via Dumbledore, Hermione, oh, admit it, the whole Order. None of them listened to what he said, they just patted him on the head and did whatever they wanted to in regards to his life. 

"No." Harry rose up. "I refuse." 

"Mr. Potter if you refuse, you will be asked to leave the magical world, you will lose everything." 

"Harry, it can't be that bad. It's your magical match." Hermione held out her parchment. "See, I got Ron." 

Harry laughed. "Honestly? Think about this, he annoys you with his manners, how he eats, how he doesn't study. He wouldn't be passing if you didn't help him. You get angry when he can't follow your conversation and hit him when he ignores you." 

"Hey! I think we will make a great match." Ron defended Hermione.

"Really? So you don't get mad when she corrects how you speak, how you dress, how you act? Rebukes you at every single meal? Which you ignore, but the rest of us have to endure. You don't get mad when she demands you do your assignments? Yells and hits you when you want to go flying or play chess? How about Quidditch? We all know how she feels about that. How about her quest to free the house elves? How about her double standards? She gets me into trouble for when she stole the potion ingredients, yet took my broom, behind my back and gave it over to the Professors? How about when she casts spells outside of Hogwarts, yet demands we turn our wands over to your mother? So, no, I don't believe these results, and I won't be matched up with Severus Snape." Harry glared at Dumbledore. "If you force this, I will leave." 

"Yes, just as arrogant as his father. Can't get his own way, so threatens to use his fame to get it. What's the matter, Potter, afraid?"

"Actually, I think you're a bully. You didn't even know me, and I certainly didn't know you, when during the very first class you picked on me. Remember...Harry Potter..our newest celebrity. I didn't even know I was a wizard until a month before that. You asked me questions that unless I memorized the book, I had no way of knowing, after all of that, as I was writing down what you were saying for answers, you yelled at me for not paying attention, then yelled at the class for not writing down what you were saying. You took points from me for breathing too loud. You allowed Malfoy and other throw stuff into my cauldron, you banished perfect potions."

"I won't go into the rest of the year. No one cared that I got a warning for underage magic that a house elf did. No one cared that we were blocked by said house elf from entering the barrier. No one cared when the Weasley twins and Ron had to break me out of a locked room, with bars on the window, so that I could return to Hogwarts. I really shouldn't have been surprised, since my letter was addressed to the cupboard under the stairs, my bedroom for ten years, when Dudley, my own cousin, had two bedrooms, and the other empty bedroom was reserved for my Uncle's sister who visited twice a year." 

"Let's move forward, shall we? When during a duel, Snape provided Malfoy with a dangerous spell that summoned a snake, no one did a thing. You only mentioned that spell after I beat Malfoy in a duel. Payback, for my father. I was able to handle the snake as we all know, however, what happened? Lockhart angered the snake, it went to attack another student, I stopped it, and spent the year enduring all this school's name calling. Instead of helping, not a single staff member did a thing, even allowing me to be bullied and beaten up by other students."

"Every time during the first two years, Ron or Malfoy started a fight, I got the detention and point loss from you. I was the one who was scrubbing the cauldrons, potions rooms, etc. I could go on about the other areas during those two years, but it's a waste of my time. No one really cares about Harry Potter. They care about the Savior, the Boy-Who-Lived, the idea of what I'm to be. Guess what, folks, I quit." 

No one spoke, all were shocked. Dumbledore rose. "Mr. Potter, you will be following up on the match. Please come with me to my office." Dumbledore headed for the staff entrance. 

"No." Harry pulled out his wand, everyone gasped as he snapped it. "Goodbye." He turned and walked out of the Great Hall before anyone could move. 

Harry ran for the Chamber of Secrets. He knew Dumbledore and Snape would head to the front doors while McGonagall, with his "best friends" would head to Gryffindor. "Dobby." He called once he was in the bathroom. As soon as Dobby appeared. "Don't speak, I need your help and fast. I need you to gather everything I own in Hogwarts and bring it to me in the Chamber of Secrets. No one can know, no one can be aware I'm down there." 

"I need bind so I can protect you."

"How?" 

"Hand on head, say you want to bind Dobby to Master Harry Potter, Dobby will accept." 

Harry put his hand on Dobby's head. "I want to bind the house elf named Dobby to me."

"Dobby accept." Harry and Dobby felt magic accept the bond. "Dobby go and Master's items." 

Harry opened the Chamber and disappeared. 

______________________________________________________________

Severus was staring at the broken wand on Dumbledore's desk. The Order was gathered in the Headmaster's office, well not the full Order. The Weasleys, Black, Lupin, Granger, McGonagall, and he were all in the office.

"I warned you." Black wasn't even trying to be calm. "I told you this idea of yours wouldn't work. Harry isn't submissive, despite you trying to make him into one. I told you returning him to those people would backfire on you, but you didn't want to listen to me."

"Sirius, it's a valid ritual." Lupin remarked.

"Yes, if you don't try and force people into roles they aren't meant for." McGonagall was furious when she learned the truth. 

"I can't believe you lot. Honestly, it's a wonder he didn't run away soon." Phineas Black said from his frame. "You have done nothing but ignore what that boy has been telling you for the last six years, and now that he is about ready to leave Hogwarts, in some lame attempt to keep him under control you use the matchmaking ritual. There is a reason it stopped being used, because of idiots like you that believe you can force two people into a match because you fudge the results because you believe you know best. Do you know how many people killed themselves because of that? Were you aware it can also drive some crazy if the dominant person in the ritual isn't really a dominant, or the submissive isn't a submissive?" 

"What? The books never mentioned that." Granger pulled out the book.

"No it won't because that book isn't a book about the ritual, it's a general matching making book. That is why we yell at Dumbledore all the time because he has removed so many books that if you actually had access to, you would have found that information." Headmaster Dippet sighed. "It's all my fault. I always allowed him to do whatever he wanted because he had the best intentions."

"This isn't helping, we need to find Harry." Molly huffed. "Where could he have gone?" 

"Gringotts?" Weasley suggested.

"No, I was able to seal the doors before he could have made it to them." Dumbledore had been a bit surprised by Harry breaking his wand, and didn't seal the Great Hall doors in time.

"That doesn't mean anything. He knows how to get out of here using the different tunnels." Lupin knew this was bad, he had disagreed with this plan, just like Sirius. He wished they had informed Severus. He looked over at Severus, who was surprisingly quiet on the subject. 

"Is what Potter said true? That he didn't know about being a wizard until a month before he arrived here?" Severus glanced around the room. 

"I'm afraid so. We had a hard time even getting the letters to him. Albus finally sent Hagrid. Hagrid took him shopping, against my wishes. He really should have had a professor, at least." Minerva was thinking about her own actions during the first years that Harry had attended Hogwarts. "He is right." 

"Right?" Molly questioned. 

"We have treated him differently. If anyone else treated the way he was during his second or fourth year, we would have stepped in. He came to me regarding the stone and the blood quill, both times I ignored him. I even told him to keep his head down, instead of doing anything about that woman torturing students."

"I didn't help either. I kept him away from during his third year, I still try to keep away." Lupin sighed.

"I didn't fight Albus on keeping him with me. I'm his godfather and yet, willingly, let him be sent back to that house." 

"We all made some very grave mistakes. Harry was right, we ignored him and saw the fame, the scar, we saw what we wanted him to be." Granger muttered. 

"We don't have time for this, we need to find Harry, and get him to do this ritual. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. We can't afford any more deaths of innocent people because Harry isn't comfortable with who he has to bond too. Severus is a strong wizard and can give Harry the guidance and power he needs while controlling the boy's impulses." 

"No." Severus rose. "Harry was right. I bullied him, I saw him as Potter, I won't be doing this ritual, especially since it's not a true match. I won't bear the consequences of killing the boy." Severus didn't wait for a reaction, he turned and left the idiots behind.


	56. Chapter 56

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry writes a love letter to Severus, who believes it's a prank.

Harry was nervous. He had finally followed Hermione's advice and written the love letter. Hermione had been pressuring him to write it since he admitted that he loved someone. He sent it yesterday and was hoping for an answer today. 

He was sitting at the Gryffindor table, trying to read his potions book but really his stomach was jumping all over. He felt sick to his stomach because of his own nerves. He jumped a bit when Neville sat down next to him. "You're up early, Neville." Harry was always an early riser, thanks to his relatives. 

"I want to get some time in the greenhouse. Since it's Saturday, no one will bother me." 

No one really joined them at the Gryffindor table, which wasn't surprising to either of them. The rest of the tables soon filled up, including the staff table. Harry watched Severus Snape arrive and felt his heart get lighter as the man didn't appear to be in a foul mood. 

Mail arrived and a red letter landed in front of Harry. Harry paled as Severus Snape's voice filled the air. 

"POTTER! YOU ABSOLUTE WASTE OF MY TIME AND MY ENERGY, I WOULDN'T EVEN TALK TO YOU IF I COULD GET AWAY WITH IT. I HAVE ONLY PUT UP WITH YOU IN MY CLASS BECAUSE I WAS FORCED TO. AS IF I BELIEVE YOU ACTUALLY EARNED YOUR GRADES. YOU ARE ONLY HERE BECAUSE THAT KNOW-IT-ALL DOES ALL YOUR WORK, AND YOUR FAME KEEPS YOU HERE. 

I WOULD NEVER BE INTEREST IN SOMEONE AS ARROGANT, SELF-CENTERED, AND MORONIC AS YOU. YOU MAY THINK I'M A FOOL, BUT I WON'T PUT UP WITH THIS PRANK. YOUR OFFER OF COURTSHIP IS REFUSED. PERHAPS YOU BELIEVE THAT I WOULD HAVE JUST FALLEN IN LINE WITH ALL YOUR FANS, BUT YOU HAVE NOTHING TO OFFER ME THAT I WANT, NEED, OR EVEN DESIRE. 

YOU MAKE ME SICK. IF I COULD HAVE I WOULD HAVE HAD YOU EXPELLED DURING YOUR FIRST YEAR, WITH YOUR WAND SNAPPED. GO BACK TO YOUR ADORING RELATIVES, I'M SURE THEY WILL BUY YOU SOMEONE TO LOVE. 

YOU ARE HEREBY EXPELLED FROM MY CLASS.

PROFESSOR SEVERUS SNAPE.

Harry slowly rose as students started laughing. He didn't say a word as he left the Great Hall. He didn't let go of his emotions until he was down in the Chamber of Secrets. Several hours later, Harry penned his withdrawal from Hogwarts, pulled out the research on Horcruxes, and a map. He was originally going to wait until the end of the year to start, but he changed his mind. He didn't want to relive his 2nd and 4th year all over again, especially since it was his own fault. He knew he shouldn't have written the letter. He quickly penned a note to Dumbledore explaining he was starting his search. 

______________________________________________________________________

"Severus Snape, how could you?" Minerva was shocked. 

"I wasn't going to be pranked by Potter." Severus hadn't expected Harry to just walk out of the Great Hall so broken looking, but he wasn't going to allow another Potter to prank him.

"Harry doesn't play pranks." Poppy huffed. "He actually goes out of his way not to prank someone."

"He's a Potter." In Severus' mind that was all that mattered. He saw Minerva's lip thin, and her face became stern, but before she could say anything, he got up and left. 

____________________________________________________________________

Dumbledore called an emergency Order meeting that night. He arrived at Grimmauld Place feeling his age. He had heard about what happened in the Great Hall but didn't know how it came about. He entered the kitchen and could see Hermione and Ron were yelling at each other, Severus was in the corner, being lectured at by Minerva and Molly, while Ginny was crying, Lupin looked like he was trying to calm everyone down. Mad-Eye, Kingsley, and Tonks were having their own debate, Molly looked ready to hex everyone. "I see the news has escaped." 

Everyone stopped talking and watching him make his way to his normal chair. "Albus?" 

"Sit, Molly, tea?" 

"Where is Harry?" Hermione demanded. 

"I'm afraid I don't know." Dumbledore held up his hand. "Let me inform you of what I know, and we can go from there." Dumbledore took his cup of tea. "I received a letter today, from Harry. He has withdrawn from Hogwarts and starting his mission early. I heard about the howler, but I have no idea how it came about." 

"Hermione has been pressing Harry to write a love letter to the person she believed Harry was in love with. I agreed, thinking it was for my sister, not the greasy bat of-"

"Ronald Bilius Weasley." Molly hit her son on the back of his head. 

"I didn't know. I assumed it was Ginny. Now that I thought back to our conversations, he had tried to tell me it wasn't Ginny, but none of us wanted to listen. You two were as blind as I was." Hermione folded her arms across her chest.

"It was a prank and he got caught, and now clearly has run off to get more attention." Severus glared at the three Gryffindors, he was going to find ways to give me a lot of detentions. 

"Actually, it wasn't a prank. I knew of Harry's feelings, I forbid him from acting on them. He has an important mission that will take a long time. A mission I was expecting him to take someone to aid him in recovering some items." Dumbledore had even tried giving the boy love potions keyed to Ginny to keep the boy from realizing the truth. "Now, he is already gone off and started the mission." 

Severus thought about what Dumbledore had just said, and after listening to Dumbledore for years translated what the man really said. Dumbledore just admitted that he used love potion keyed to Ginny (he had seen him glance at the girl, and knew she was in on the plan). Dumbledore sent Harry out to collect the Horcruxes that he believes Severus doesn't know about. Judging about how Dumbledore's words and actions were coming across Dumbledore had kept hidden information from Potter again. 

Severus, using his hair to cover what he was doing, watched Granger and Weasley. Something was off in how they were reacting to the news. They clearly were expecting to go with Potter, yet, something else was happening. He was going to have to watch his memories to see if he could figure it out.


	57. Chapter 57

"No." 

"You can't say no. You have no option." Voldemort slammed the marriage contract down in front of Harry Potter.

"I do. It says in there that it was for my father, signed by his father. According to that contract, it's for James Potter only, no mention of anyone else filling it in on the Potter side. Your grandfather signed it, clearly for the money. It says you will be taking the Potter name, taking the submissive title. Which explains so much about the conflict between you, my father, and Dumbledore. Dumbledore married him off to Lily before he even knew about that contract." Harry pulled out the marriage agreement between his parents. "Notice, my grandparents didn't sign but Dumbledore did. He used his power as Chief Warlock and the Headmaster." 

Voldemort snatched the contract up. He started to read it. At his first frown, Harry knew what he read. "I see you got to the part about Dumbledore controlling the Potter seats until his heir was old enough to take control." 

Voldemort looked up. "Yes, and it doesn't make any sense. Neither does the part about your father not taking his titles." 

"He died before his father, so Dumbledore messed up on that aspect, as I got the titles directly, which prevented him from emptying my vaults." Harry showed him the bank records. "As you can see he tried the very next day to get into my vaults."

Voldemort looked down at the bank statement but returned to reading the contract. "There are a few odd things in here that aren't part of a regular marriage contract. Lucius could read it and tell us exactly what laws he might have used, but I have never heard of limiting a couple to one child. He even has in here when you can be born." 

Harry waited and watched the man reread that paragraph. He felt the anger building. "Can you not do that? He has us connected somehow." Harry rubbed his forehead. 

Voldemort slammed down his anger, not something he was used to doing, but he had agreed to a truce to discuss their situation. A situation he didn't know existed until Severus mentioned Dumbledore mumbling about how to get rid of a marriage contract. Voldemort realizing that Dumbledore didn't want Harry married to whomever it was for had Lucius search the Ministry for the Potter marriage contract. He was a bit surprised to find one signed by Dumbledore, along with their grandfathers. He flipped to the last page. "Harry, we have a bigger issue." 

"Noticed the date?" Harry had found out about the contract when Ironclaw wrote to him, warning him that Dumbledore was trying to create a marriage contract between him and Ginny Weasley while voiding one for James Potter and Tom Riddle.

"Yes, it's dated a week before my eleventh birthday, even before I knew I was a wizard. Your father wasn't even born. I know from the family history of the Potter's that they were the same age as my grandparents. James was considered a miracle to them. "

"Which explains why he was such a jackass."


	58. Chapter 58

Severus blocked out whatever the Order was talking about, instead, he was focusing on what was going to happen at midnight tonight. Something he knew the Order nor Dumbledore were aware was going to happen. He made a plan for this event over two years ago. It had taken over seventeen years for this plan to be fulfilled, but it was going to be completed tonight. He just hoped he had been right.

"Severus, anything to report?" 

"Beyond that, the Mutt needs another flea bath? No." Severus refrained from laughing as Black reacted like he normally did. Name calling, empty threats, and posturing, the man was so easy to bait. 

Severus turned them out as he returned to his earlier thoughts. He flashed through his memories of how tonight came about and knew it was going to be an eye-opener for the Order and especially the senile old fart that ran it and Hogwarts. 

When Dumbledore finally signaled the end of the meeting, Severus didn't linger. He had plans and needed to get them in motion before the Order ruined them. He apparated around England, Scotland, and Wales before he landed in Surrey. He stood outside the wards behind the garage, hiding in the shadows. He could see the bars on the windows, but it was almost time. 

He heard the back door open. He stepped out of the shadows. "You ready to leave?" Severus could see into the darkened house. The muggles were asleep.

"Yes, this day couldn't come fast enough." Harry was dressed in baggy clothes, everything he wanted was in his pockets. Hedwig was already on her way to the Manor.

"I have everything prepared at the Manor." Severus held out his arm.

"I left a nice mess in my joke of a room for them to discover. The Order is planning on collecting me tomorrow morning." Harry inhaled deeply. "Soon."

Severus apparated them to Prince Manor. 

________________________________________________________________

Harry laid in the bed, it was almost midnight. Severus was sitting by his bed, he had some potions ready for him. They had made sure that any gifts for Harry from the Order would be left in his old room in Surrey. Severus had set the mail direct to be for thirty minutes, fifteen minutes before midnight and fifteen minutes after. 

"Pain?" 

"Slight, the same degree it has been since I returned home. Between Vernon's greeting and follow up welcome home messages, and my body preparing for this, I've been in constant pain." 

"I tried to send you some potions, but Dumbledore only allowed Weasleys, the Wolf, and Mutt to write."

"I'm aware. He banned me from writing to anyone." Harry glanced at the clock on the wall. "The pain is building." 

"I wish I could help, Harry, but any potion might interfere with the release of your magic and the binds Dumbledore placed on you. As soon as I can I will spell a pain potion into you." 

Harry let out a whimper, which grew louder and more frequent as midnight arrived. Once the clock struck twelve, Harry arched off of the bed, let out a roar of pain as magic burst out of him. Severus worked on keeping Harry on the bed as Harry thrashed around the bed. The muscles in his body taut. Severus closed his eyes as he heard the bones breaking and muscles ripped. 

Severus didn't hear the door open but was glad when two others joined him on holding down Harry. They knew they couldn't fully restrain him, but they wanted to minimize the damage. No one spoke as they worked as a team to make sure Harry made it through his Inheritance. 

As soon as Harry stopped screaming, Severus started forcing potions down his throat. "James, run the health scan, Tom start healing him in parsel." 

Together the three spent the next hour making Harry comfortable. "Severus, go ahead, we will guard."

Severus looked uncertain, but he knew they would protect them. Severus climbed into the bed, curled up around Harry, falling asleep instantly, with the aid of James hitting him with a sleep spell. "Love, he isn't going to like that."

"Hush, Tom, he needed it. Our boy is an Ancient like we thought." James felt Tom's wings wrap around them. The room darkened, and James felt a light kiss on the side of his neck. 

"Yes, and it's now time to destroy Dumbledore." Tom whispered into James' ear. "He will pay for what he did to you and our son." 

"Yes, it's time."


	59. Chapter 59

"Harrison Severus Marvolo Riddle, what do you think you are doing?" The Dark Lord had his arms crossed over his chest, his red eyes were stern.

"I was trying to teach Draco the importance of using the right knife for the job." Harry held up carving knife. "The right tool for the right job, as you say, Grandfather." 

"That just won't do it. You need a butcher's knife if you want to cut through all that muscle." The Dark Lord looked at the layout of knives.

"I would have thought a boning knife would be better, Father." Severus entered the room. "Harrison, what have I told you about guests?"

"Not to tie them up until after I found out what they wanted, Father. I did. He's a salesman, selling knives, I asked for a demo. He refused." 

"He really was quite rude about it too, Uncle Severus." Draco looked at the ropes. "I think I need more work on my knots." 

The Dark Lord stepped around the chair, ignoring the wiggling man. "It's good, but I do agree, he might be able to slip out of it if we kept him for long. Your Aunt Morticia will be here next week with your Uncle Gomez and your cousins. She is the best at knots." 

"True, Father, she is. It will be nice to see my sister. She promised to bring me some clippings from her garden." Severus tested the knots. "I think you need to use a better rope, use the cotton-based rope next time. Nylon loosens a bit over time when they wiggle."

The man started mumbling. "Yes, you really did pick the wrong house, but you shouldn't have ignored the no trespassing signs." The Dark Lord handed his grandson another knife. "This will skin him better." 

"Oh, I was going to start with that. He didn't believe I knew anything about knives." Harry smirked as the man's pants became wet. "I was teaching him otherwise."

"Severus, do take care of that. It's almost time for lunch." 

Severus grinned as he pulled out a few potions. The man passed out when Severus opened one and a floating skull came out of it. "It works every time." Severus put the potion on the table. "Now, what kind of knives was he selling?"

"Cheap ones." Draco held one up. "It has plastic handles, and not made of stainless steel."

"What is the world coming to?" The Dark Lord summoned an elf after he memory charmed the muggle. "Usual spot, Tippy."

"Yes, Master." Tippy popped away with the muggle. She would dump him in an alley in London.

"Now, Wednesday will be here when the Hogwarts letters arrive." The Dark Lord ignored the three groans at the mention of Hogwarts. "Your great-grandparents went there, your grandparents, your father, and aunt went there, it's tradition." 

"Yes, but sadly, Dumbledore is there." Harry glanced at Draco. He was wondering if Draco was thinking the same thing he was. Draco, Wednesday, and him at Hogwarts together. He saw Draco's half smirk. 

"I also will be returning. He believes Harry Potter will finally return to our world." Severus never knew how Dumbledore came to his theories about what happened that Halloween night. 

His father certainly didn't attack anyone, and certainly not his own grandson. Lily had been there visiting that night with Harry, Sirius and James had their own child, who she was picking up to watch for the weekend. Harry was the only survivor, and Dumbledore had insisted he was a Potter. Severus, Lucius, and the Dark Lord followed Dumbledore for the next 24 hours until he finally met with Hagrid. Severus wanted to kill the old fool as he left his son the steps of Petunia's house. 

"I'm also going to be here. I got the job as the DADA professor." The Dark Lord wasn't about to let his son and grandchildren attend Hogwarts without protection. He also wanted to work on getting rid of the old fool.

Harry was ready to bounce with excitement. He knew what that meant. Dumbledore was finally going to pay for killing his mother.


	60. Chapter 60

"Severus Snape come with me." Bane was standing behind Severus.

Severus stood up from where he was plucking some mushroom, and no they weren't for getting him high and looked at Bane. "Is there a problem?"

"Yes, you need to help the child." Bane turned and started to walk away.

Severus was a bit confused but followed. Bane lead Severus to a small clearing that had a few Centaurs standing in a circle. "Hurry, the child needs you." One of the women spoke from her kneeling position next to what looked like a black blob with wings. 

Severus moved closer, he could see blood on the ground. "What happened?" 

"He was caught in the fighting that was here earlier. We have been trying to heal him but our magic doesn't mix well with yours." An older soft-spoken woman removed some cloth from the black blob.

Severus realized he didn't see the cloth because it was soaked with blood and since it was twilight, it looked black. Severus flicked his wrist and his wand was in his hand. He began scanning the black blob. "It has a lot of broken bones, deep laceration, some organ damage, and a lot of interacting magic that is creating a backlash, which is creating more problems." 

"We haven't used any magic on him, we knew it would be too much." The older woman pulled out some herbs from her pouch and put them into the black blobs mouth. "It will make him sleep."

"What is he?" Severus asked as he began to open his potion pouch.

"We aren't sure. He has been in the forest for a long time. He looks like a cat with wings." Turk spoke. Turk was one of the warriors of the tribe.

"Yes, he usually stays hidden from humans." Bane only interacted with Severus when he had to, but he did like the black furry thing. Anything that didn't like humans was great in his book.

"I'm going to have to take him with me." 

"No, it won't be a good idea. The child fears human." 

Severus looked down at his scans. This child was human, was abused, and it showed. The child opened his eyes, groaned, and passed out. "He needs to have constant care, I will need to give him potions to control the pain, while also monitoring the magical residue I'm reading. If I were to leave him here, I might not make it back in time to keep the backlash from killing him." 

The Centaurs had a quick discussion their own language. Bane grunted at the end. "We agree to have you take him with you. However, you must keep us updated on his progress."

"That is fine. Let me conjure up a stretcher for me to use to get him back to Hogwarts." Severus conjured a stretcher and with the aid of the two women got the black blob onto the stretcher. Severus felt the soft black fur, and his hand felt the leathery wings. He wasn't sure what the black blob was, but he wasn't expecting fur.

________________________________________________________________

"Severus, all we can do now is monitor him." Poppy was standing over Severus' guest room bed. "I know he is human." 

"Yes, I'm aware. Did you see the child's history?" Severus wasn't sure what he was going to do. Now that the black blob was cleaned, it looked more like a black kitten with wings. They had already determined that the wings were functional. 

"Yes. However, he isn't a child. He is at least 17. Also, I don't think that is his full size." Poppy showed Severus her own scans that she ran. "I ran a biological assessment. He is a wizard, a powerful one."

"No name?" Severus was reading down the assessment. Poppy was correct, the batcat was a powerful wizard. He wondered what the batcat was doing in the Forbidden Forest. He knew the batcat must have gotten caught in the cross-fire of the battle the Aurors and the Death Eaters had earlier that morning. For the record, the Death Eaters won.

"No, it never provides that. We can do an Inheritance Test." Poppy didn't move. She didn't gather the necessary things to do an Inheritance Test out of her bag. The Inheritance Test she used would be used to identify a victim if they couldn't obtain a name due to unforeseen circumstances. 

"Poppy?" Severus wasn't sure why Poppy didn't want to know her patient's name.

"Severus, if it's who I think it is, we have to keep him hidden, for now." Poppy had been one of the few who blamed Harry Potter's disappearance on Dumbledore. 

"What aren't you telling me?" Severus looked at the battered batcat sleeping on his guest bed.

"I think we found Harry." 

"What?" Severus was surprised. Poppy had shown him the original medical scans she had done on Harry Potter when he had arrived at Hogwarts. Hagrid had brought Harry Potter to Hogwarts after he had gone to retrieve Harry from his relatives. Severus and Poppy never got the full story about what happened but they didn't like what they had seen. 

"If I confirm it, I will have to tell him."

"I agree." Severus had been summoned to the Infirmary that summer day to find Poppy removing a bullet from Harry Potter, while Hagrid and Dumbledore were quietly speaking. Later Severus realized that Dumbledore used a memory charm on Hagrid. 

Harry disappeared before the school year could start. They had gone up to check on Harry and he had disappeared before they were even aware he was awake. "You don't think?" 

"I do." Poppy smirked. Harry Potter had been getting his Hogwarts education. For years they knew someone had been removing books from the library. Who had been bypassing the wards, who was using some of the training dummies to practice on, and who had been alluding Dumbledore's traps.

Severus looked down at Potter. He had only seen him three times. Twice when he first arrived and now. Yes, Dumbledore wasn't going to care for this Harry Potter. The Dark Lord was winning the war and had been searching for Potter for years. 

"You know he will use him. He will try to keep him here, and he won't care if it's against his will or not. He will use it's for the greater good." 

Severus knew Dumbledore would exactly do that. The man used guilt, used emotional manipulation, and used past mistakes against a person. Dumbledore played at being the Headmaster, he was really a general leading a war. 

"I agree, what we don't know we can't share." 

"Severus I believe a Vow would be better." 

"I agree. We don't share the information with anyone." 

"Meow." A voice said from the bed. They looked down and saw a large black panther with its wings folded down and wrapped around the body of the batcat. 

"I see you can change your size, that does explain why no one ever saw you in the woods." Severus summoned another blanket and laid it over batcat. "We will have to think of a name." 

"Yes, one that Albus won't associate with Harry Potter."


	61. Chapter 61

Severus was standing over his poison riddled body, watching Potter fight with his two friends about saving him. He was a bit confused, he would have thought Granger would the be one who knew what to do and fighting to keep him alive. Instead, he was watching Potter go through all the different potions in Severus' potion pouch looking for the cure to Nagini' venom.

Granger and Weasley were trying to drag Potter away, Weasley doing his usual rant about Slytherins, Death Eaters, and of course, Snape. Granger was doing we don't have time rant while saying she wasn't sure if Professor Snape would carry the cure with him. 

Potter actually surprised him by saying that as Potion Master, Snape would carry it, as he would know how dangerous Nagini was. After all, he had already had to cure Mr. Weasley from being bitten by the snake. 

"You loathe him and he is the only one who doesn't want you to die." 

Severus looked over his shoulder. He saw an old man dressed in black but missing a sickle. "Been wondering when you were going to show up. Let's go." Severus didn't want to watch himself die.

"Actually, I'm here to offer you a few different choices. One, I can take you now, boring, but you would be dead. Two, I can let you live your life. However, with that, there are also two options. Option one, you die alone after a long lonely life, with no one even aware of your death for months. Option two, you accept that someone loves you, live a long-loved filled life. Die surrounded by family."

"Yeah, and I suppose the one I am to be in love with is my godson since he is the only one who seems to care about me."

"Really? The only one?" Death looked at Harry, who was pouring potions down Severus' throat. "That is a healing one after he gave you the one for the poison, he has a blood replenisher-"

"I'm aware of what he is doing. However, I don't want a spoiled brat like Potter in my life. The brat is nothing but trouble. Always doing his own thing, breaking the rules."

"Oh, you really are an idiot, but whatever. Make your choice. I have other people to collect on since Dumbledore seems determined to have his bloody war."

"It's the Dark Lord-" Time suddenly froze. "What is going on?"

A beautiful woman appeared next to Death. She was young, with long dark hair, her skin was almost an almond color. She was lean and while Severus knew he was tall, this woman was almost as tall as him. "Sorry, Brother dear, but he really has no idea about the truth."

"What truth?" Severus didn't like the way this was sounding.


	62. The Adventures of Darling and Harry.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moved to main area.

Petunia held her cheek. Vernon was still yelling at her but she was shocked he actually hit her. Oh, he had before, but it had been years. She saw Harry was standing behind Vernon. "Do it." 

Harry smiled as he hissed at the snake he was holding. Vernon hearing the hissing sound turned his fury on Harry but Harry kept smiling as the Adder he was speaking to bit Vernon in the shin. The Adder reared back, bit him and did it again. 

"Call the ambulance Aunt Petunia." Harry smirked as Darling bit Vernon again. 

Petunia didn't question Harry, but she obeyed. "Is he going to die?" 

"Yes, from anaphylactic shock." Harry called Darling back. The snake slithered up his leg and under his shirt. 

"Good. You need to go upstairs. I will tell the police that he came into the house after trying to clear the clump of bushes and trees from behind the garage."

Harry didn't respond but headed up the stairs to his room. He looked out the window as the police and ambulance arrived. He waited for a few minutes until he heard voices. He heard Dudley walk by his bedroom door and followed Dudley down the stairs.

"Mum, what is wrong with Dad?" Dudley was pulled to Petunia as the paramedics began to work on Vernon. 

The first paramedic looked at the police officers and shook his head no. One of the police officers left started heading back to his car. "I need some details to put into the report, while my partner calls for the coroner." The second police officer opened his small notebook.

"Mom?" Dudley looked confused. "What does he mean?"

"May I take my son upstairs?"

"After I get some basic information if you don't mind? I will need you to come back down afterward."

Petunia looked at Vernon's body and pushed Dudley behind her. "His name is Vernon Maurice Dursley, he is 32. Is there anything else?" 

"Yes, but take your children upstairs. We will let you know when the coroner arrives." The police officer continued writing in his notebook. Once Petunia and Dudley were upstairs, the police officer continued, "ready when you are." 

Harry remained where he was, watching the paramedics working on Vernon. 

"He's got swelling of the lips, tongue, gums, and throat." One of the paramedics spoke as his partner and the police officer wrote down the information. The first paramedic moved down the body and saw the bites on the legs. "Snake bites. He has three sets of bite marks, right leg. He must have stepped on one." Vernon was wearing a pair of shorts with a white tank top. 

"Was he working outside?" The police officer asked Harry. He saw Petunia coming back down the stairs. 

"Yes, he was clearing some of the trees and bushes from behind the garage." Petunia wiped her eyes and blew her nose. "I warned him about the snakes. We had seen them before. That was why he was clearing the area out."

"He has lumps on the skin, hives or nettle rash, swelling, redness and bruising at each location of the bites, it spread up the leg." 

"When the coroner gets here will he will issue determine the time of death." The first paramedic told the officer.

Petunia gasped. "He's dead?" Her face went pale.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Dursley." They all told her.

______________________________________________________________

Harry was sitting on the couch as the last of the mourners left. Petunia looked exhausted. "Thank God, they are gone." She faced Harry. "Dumbledore and his ilk might show up now. I know Miss Figg will report the news to him."

Harry arched a brow. Darling slithered out from under the couch. Darling started hissing. Harry hissed back. "What is the plan?" 

"I think it's time we moved out of here. I will pack our belongings. We can take a taxi to the Leaky Cauldron. We need to get you ready to deal with that old man." 

Harry's gave her a feral grin.


	63. My Maltese Tiger

Dumbledore frowned, he looked at the notice in his hand. He wasn't sure how this was possible but knew he that Voldemort and Malfoy had to have something to do with it. He already sent a note to Harry and Severus asking them to meet him in his office. 

Harry arrived almost at the exact same time as Severus. Neither took his lemon drops, which didn't surprise him. "Since Harry is now 17 I just received a notice that Lord Malfoy has put in a claim for Harry to be his husband."

"What? How? I'm of age." Harry wasn't about to marry Lucius Malfoy. He didn't want anything to do with a Malfoy.

"He is using an old outdated law. Under the law, any pureblood could demand the hand of anyone of marriageable age, if they weren't already engaged or married. It's a law that was designed to be used for enemies during a time of conflict. It has never been removed off of the books. Lucius has put in for Harry. Harry would be listed as a slave." 

"Are you kidding me?" Harry looked at Dumbledore shocked. 

"I wish I was. However, he can't demand you to marry him if you are already married, which is why I invited Professor Snape to this meeting." 

"I don't want to be married to him." They said in unison. 

"It is either you marry or Lucius comes tomorrow night to remove Harry." Dumbledore ran his hands down his beard. "So, the wedding between the two of you needs to happen tomorrow. I was going to try for tonight but I need to get some paperwork from the Ministry." 

"I'm not marrying him." They again spoke in unison.

"If you don't, Harry becomes the property of Lucius, and we know what Lucius will do to him." Dumbledore gave them the "I'm disappointed in you" look. 

Harry and Severus glared at Dumbledore. "Fine." Severus finally agreed. 

"Good, good, I'll see you both here tomorrow night after dinner."

_________________________________________________

Harry stormed his way back to Gryffindor tower. He was done with everything to do with Dumbledore and the Order. He ignored everyone in the common room and headed straight for his bed. He put the wards around his bed and waited. He had one lousy year left and Dumbledore just couldn't stop meddling in his life. 

As soon as it was late enough, he removed the wards, check to make sure no one added any proximity wards or anything else around the dorm. He gathered up his items, filled his trunk, shrunk it down, and opened the window next to his bed. He jumped onto his broom and flew out the window. 

_______________________________________________

Harry made his way to Gringotts. He knew he had to have some type of protection. He wasn't sure if he would be able to speak to his account manager but after waiting for almost an hour, Ironclaw was ready to see him. Harry explained what had happened tonight at Hogwarts. 

"I see. Let me go and review a few things. Depending on what I find, we can make some choices." 

"Thank you, Ironclaw." Harry was tired but he wasn't going to head back to Hogwarts and marry Severus Snape or Lucius Malfoy. While he did like Severus, he wasn't about to enter into any marriage with someone who hated him. 

He was almost asleep when Ironclaw returned. Harry woke up as Ironclaw put some folders down. Once he was seated he opened the top one. "I pulled the law that Lord Malfoy would be using, there are a few loopholes, one is that you have to be already being married. Now, there is another interesting small print one I was able to find in an older version of the law, if you can stay hidden until you are twenty-one, he can't do anything about it. Especially since he didn't inform you, nor did he present it in the formal custom. A written letter to the Headmaster does not meet those requirements." 

"So I just have to stay hidden?" Harry smirked. He had the only remaining copy of the Marauders' map. He also knew all the hidden tunnels. "So if I use my Animagi transformation, I can remain hidden, unless they use a spell with my name."

"Well, another thing I looked up while I was pulling some folders was what is your magical name. It has never been released, so therefore, no one would be able to locate you using magic. I would be concerned about someone removing your form." 

"That is true, especially after Pettigrew." Harry looked at the folder Ironclaw put in front of him. He glanced at his birth certificate. "You can keep my real name hidden?"

"Yes, and I do believe I have an idea on how to prevent anyone from being able to reveal your human form. It will require you to stay here for about a month or two to create a runic tattoo that will allow only you to your human form."

2 Months Later:

Harry sat staring at Severus as he was harvesting potion ingredients from the Forbidden Forest. The man had been coming each night for the last few days. He had been watching Severus for a few hours, and it was almost dawn. The sun was beginning to rise. 

Harry had been hiding in the Chamber of Secrets all week, but at night he liked to come out and get some exercise. He sneezed causing Severus to jump a bit. the man had his wand out and looking for who sneezed. 

Harry tilted his head at Severus as he sneezed again. 'Damn pollen.' Harry looked at the wand that was now pointed at him. He let out a low warbling sound.

Severus lowered his wand. "Aren't you beautiful?" Harry stood up, walked slowly toward Severus. He rubbed his face against Severus' and started purring. Severus started petting Harry. "Now, what are you doing out here?" 

Harry kept rubbing his face against Severus. "I have seen you out here, I have been wondering if you were friendly." Harry kept purring. "I need to head back to Hogwarts." Severus started walking and Harry followed. Severus stopped, Harry stopped. "I see." Harry warbled again.

_________________________________________

Severus watched the Ravenclaws, who were up early, run away from him and his new friend. His new friend gave a small low roar. "I believe you and I will get along just fine." Severus headed to his quarters to put away the potion ingredients he collected. Harry sat in the doorway, as much as he could given his size. "I know you won't be able to get in here." 

Harry took that as a challenged and squeezed himself in. He was a tiger and like all felines, he could fit into a lot of places. "I take that back. Get out before you destroy everything." 

Harry tilted his head. "Back up, go on. You got in here, get out the same way." Severus waved his hands back. 

Harry let out a bit of a growl but backed up. He turned and headed for the couch. It looked comfortable. He jumped onto the couch and heard a bit of a groan from the furniture. He laid down, closed his eyes, and started to go to sleep. 

Severus came out of his lab. "Get off of my couch." Severus walked toward the tiger, who just opened his eyes. "No, no, bad tiger. Get off." 

Harry watched Severus waving his finger at him, telling him he was a bad tiger. 

"I know you can hear me, so get off." Severus tried to sound stern but for some reason, he wasn't able to do it. No one knew it but he had a real soft spot for animals. If anyone ever saw his stables, they would be surprised. The only people to know that aspect of his life was Draco and Albus.

Harry got down, giving Severus a bit of sad face. "Come, I will give you some bacon at breakfast." Harry perked up. He loved bacon. "Eggs and some sausage too." 

Severus started to head to the Great Hall with his new friend, who followed behind him. Since he was earlier than normal, he was able to set up a spot at the end of the table for his new friend. He took his usual spot. Tea appeared in front of him, as did a large bowl of raw meat. Severus put it down on the floor.

He was drinking his tea when Dumbledore arrived. He had ignored the students and his fellow staff members as they arrived. Dumbledore signaled for the start of breakfast and took a sip of his tea before he asked questions about Severus' guest. "Interesting familiar, Severus." 

"Yes, he has been following me for the last week in the Forbidden Forest." Severus put some bacon into the bowl of his new friend. 

"He is certainly interesting. What type of tiger is he or she?" Minerva looked down at the huge tiger sitting at the end of the table eating form a bowl. 

"He is a Maltese tiger or blue tiger. The Muggles believe they are an unproven coloration morph of a tiger, reported mostly in the Fujian Province of China. As you can see they are real. They are magical tigers, which is why the Muggles haven't been able to confirm their existence. The term "Maltese" comes from domestic cat terminology for blue fur and refers to the slate grey coloration." Severus explained.

Harry was impressed. He didn't think Severus would recognize what he was. He nudged Severus' arm. When Severus looked at him, Harry looked at his empty bowl. "Eggs and sausages?" 

Harry nodded his agreement. Dumbledore pulled out his wand. "Animalis homo revelare." Nothing happened, except Harry growled as the spell hit him. "Well, he isn't an Animagus." Harry was still growling. 

Severus put more bacon into the bowl. Severus sent Dumbledore his death glare. Severus knew how to make sure someone wasn't pulling a Pettigrew on him. Harry went back to his breakfast, but also watched Dumbledore. 

_______________________________________________

Harry slept through most of Severus' class. He curled up on a low bed that Severus conjured for him to sleep on in the back corner of the classroom. He did wake up when the seventh year Gryffindor-Slytherin class entered. He didn't move but he watched. He watched every move and heard every word spoken by the Gryffindors. 

Severus noticed that his new familiar was watching Gryffindors very closely. This was the first class he had today with Gryffindors in it. He was able to give Weasley and Granger a detention and remove some points.

________________________________________________________

Severus was sitting in front of the fireplace, reading his Potions Monthly magazine. He could hear the snoring of his bluish tiger. He had his tea and biscuits on the table. He heard a knock on the door. The feline was awake and staring at the door. Severus wanted to groan as the name Dumbledore appeared on his ward indicator. 

Severus got up. "Don't eat his robes, they might make you sick." He sent his tea and biscuits to his kitchenette. Severus walked to the door. He opened it. "Albus?" 

"Severus, a few minutes of your time." 

"I was about to start a potion."


	64. Chapter 64

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is Vala411's idea :)

Minerva closed her eyes. She had a headache building from her Ravenclaw-Slytherin class. She had moved the couch so that it was in turned around and she could lay between the wall and the back of the couch. She knew no one could see her and that was the point. 

Minerva ignored the opening of the staff room door as she heard Dumbledore and Mad-Eye start casting wards. She selected to ignore the privacy charms she felt settle into place, she was about to speak to them when Mad-Eye's question stopped her.

"Is it time to get rid of them yet?" Mad-Eye sounded sane, not that crazy constant vigilance act. Minerva wondered what was going on, she remained still. 

"No, no, Potter still has uses still. We need him to kill Tom or have Tom kill him. Potter needs to die at the right time. Either way, Potter will be dealt with, either he will be killed by Tom or sent to Azkaban for murder. However, Snape is getting to be unnecessary. Snape, I believe we will set up for him killing me, and he will either go to Azkaban or Voldemort will kill him. If we do it ourselves, it might be linked back to the Prewetts, McGonagall, Bones, Black, and the Potter murders. We can't have people believing that the Death Eaters didn't kill them. McGonagall and the Bones' death almost exposed us during the war. We are not in a war now, so their murder will be investigated, fully." 

"I thought you said the Dursley would have beaten the boy to death or beaten him to obeying your every word." Mad-Eye walked to the tea cabinet. "He is still teaching the students. He is still sticking his nose where we don't want him sticking his nose."

"I'm aware, but I have Granger and Weasley guiding what he teaches. Granger and Weasley might need to be dealt with soon. They are demanding more money, and Ginny and Molly want Harry to marry Ginny. As for sticking his nose into places, I have been guiding him for years on those adventures. They have been very finely crafted tests for him, to have him trust me and not trust Tom or anyone in Slytherin."

"I'm sure we can arrange a Death Eater attack at the Burrow for that wedding. I know Dung would be able to drop the location and time at a few pubs." 

"It might come to that. While the others are blind in what the rest of their family is doing, I'm not going to allow those four to ruin all of our plans. We need to eliminate Tom and then we can work on controlling the muggles." Dumbledore popped a lemon drop into his mouth based off of the opening and closing of the tin.

"We need to find a spot to meet. I can't keep coming to Hogwarts, and Grimmauld isn't good. I don't trust that elf." 

"I do agree. People would wonder why you keep coming here. However, I'm sure we can meet in Godric's Hollow. My house is still intact and we can add a Fidelius." 

"Good, we don't need anyone in the Order realizing that we are following the plan started by you and Gellert." 

"Yes, we don't need that. The Greater Good is much more important than a few lives. It's almost over. Once we rule here, it won't take much to control the muggles." Dumbledore's voice filled with venom when he said muggles. 

"I better go, I told Shacklebolt and Tonks I would meet them to assist in Tonks' training." 

"Yes, and I need to head to the Ministry. Cornelius is getting nervous, it might be time to replace him." 

"We need to make sure Bones doesn't want to run, she is too straight."

"Yes, I do agree. She would never be as biddable as Cornelius." Dumbledore removed the wards. "Timing is everyone, Alastor."

Mad-Eye grunted as he left. 

Minerva waited for a few minutes, making sure they were gone. She didn't move, she was afraid to even open her mouth for fear that they knew she was there and just waiting to kill her. She heard the door open and Filius and Pomona walked in, speaking about getting some tea before their next class. 

Minerva rose from the couch, greeted them, and exited before they could invite her to tea. She made her way quickly to Severus' office. She knocked and before Severus could grant her entrance, she entered the office. She looked around and seeing just Severus, she put up a privacy charm. "I need you to come with me, now, you need to hear what I just heard."

"Minerva?" Severus could see the woman was distraught. 

"I need you to use Legimancy on me. I think your quarters would be best. We can't let Albus know we are speaking."

"I would suggest we do it in here. If I go to my quarters he will wonder what is going on. He knows I always spend my time here during this time frame." 

"Trust me, it won't matter. I will tell him you were getting me a headache potion if necessary." 

________________________________________

Severus pulled out of Minerva's mind. "Merlin."

"Exactly. We have to get you and Harry out of here."

"I gave him a detention for tonight. Get his crazy elf to pack everything, I will have everything packed in time for his detention. I also think you need to join us." 

"I agree. I will meet you in your classroom. I will pretend I am going to object to another detention for Harry. It will give us a few hours to get to Gringotts. I know he hasn't told Harry about his properties or vaults."

"I want a full medical history run on him too." Severus was furious. "We will also need to review our own memories and perhaps get a complete purge." 

"I agree. "


	65. Chapter 65

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a long one. It will be filled out when I move it, think of it as a massive outline.

1st year--

Severus was shocked. Potter was sorted into his house. He watched the boy walk toward the Slytherin table. The boy's mask never slipped, even when he was in line. At first, he wasn't even sure if it was Harry Potter. The boy certainly wasn't acting like his father. He was small for his age, but he also didn't look like a miniature James Potter. 

Draco wasn't surprised when Potter sat down next to him. That was very interesting, in of itself. Potter sitting next to a Malfoy. Severus returned to watching the remaining students. Weasly, he had to be with that hair, looked furious and was glaring daggers at Potter. He scanned the other unsorted students and noticed most didn't seem to care. His gaze went to the Gryffindor table. He spotted Granger looking at Dumbledore with puzzlement on her face as she turned her own gaze to Potter. 

Dumbledore was also baffled. Severus knew that Dumbledore expected the boy to go to Gryffindor. He had even sent Hagrid to take the boy shopping. He also knew that Hagrid "forgot" to tell the boy how to get to the train and Dumbledore arranged the Weasely family to guide him. 

This was going to be an interesting year. He was going to read Potter's health scan first. 

__________________________________________________________

"He is being abused!" Severus threw the health scan results on Dumbledore's desk.

"Yes, I'm aware. I knew he wouldn't be loved, he wouldn't be as cared for as their own child, but I knew he would arrive here alive." Dumbledore popped a lemon drop into his mouth. "He needed to learn compassion and empathy. He needed to know hardship so that he could stronger for it." 

Severus shook his head. "Yes, that has worked so well. The Dark Lord, numerous other Death Eaters including me, and now Harry Potter." 

"I'm sure he will do what is required of him." Dumbledore gave Severus a slight smile. 

"Your funeral." Severus turned and left Dumbledore's office. He knew if he remained he would kill the man. How many times he must tell Dumbledore that returning abused students to their abusers doesn't work.

____________________________________________________

"So what exactly happened?" Minerva asked as she was staring at her two lions lying in the Infirmary. 

"I'm not sure, however, I battled Quirrell. He was possessed by Voldemort. I won and the stone is safe. Severus, where was Harry?"

"Potter was in the common room studying for his final exams." Severus had been watching Potter all year, the boy was nothing like his father. Potter didn't have any friends, he didn't trust anyone, and was usually found reading in the library or common room. 

*****Flashback***************

Draco came limping into Severus' quarters after Severus granted him access. "Uncle Severus, may I have a pain potion?" 

"Why do you need one?" Severus could see a few bruises forming on his godson's arms and one on the chin. 

"Are you asking as my godfather or Head of House?" Draco didn't want to get himself into trouble. 

"Your godfather, as I don't believe I want to know as your Head of House." 

"Potter. Goyle, Crabbe, and I decided he needed to learn his place in Slytherin. We lost." Severus arched a brow. "He beat us using magic and when Crabbe went to hit him in the face, Potter sent him flying back into a pillar."

"Draco, what have I told you about attacking students?" Severus got up and headed to his potion cabinet. "Especially one that Dumbledore is very interested in." He knew Draco was following him.

"I really thought we would have won. However, I don't think Potter is interested in anything to do with Dumbledore." Draco took the potions that Severus gave him.

"Give the extra to Crabbe and Goyle. Now, why do you think Potter isn't interested in Dumbledore."

"It's not just Dumbledore, he doesn't associate with anyone, when or if a fight breaks out in the common room, he just gets up and walks away. I've seen Weasley try to speak to him but Potter just lets him rant and ignores Weasley and Granger. The whole house is very confused by him." 

"Just leave him alone is my best suggestion. If you get into trouble, Dumbledore will blame you before Potter." Severus escorted his godson to the door. "I don't want to hear about you getting into any more fights."

*******************end flashback*****************************

"Potter, the Headmaster wants to speak to you." Severus was standing behind Potter in the Great Hall.

Potter rose from his seat and followed along. Neither spoke, but Severus wasn't surprised, Potter rarely spoke to anyone. Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk. 

"Harry, my boy, take a seat, lemon drop?"

"No, thank you." Poter took the offered seat. 

"Now, I'm sure you are wondering why I called you up here." 

Potter arched a brow. "No, Sir." 

"I am just making sure you are returning to your relatives' house and not staying with friends for the summer holiday." 

"Why?" 

Potter's facial expression didn't change. Severus was impressed by the boy's masks. Severus also wanted the answer to the question of why. He had already put together the boy wasn't treated well at his relatives. They didn't even send him a card for Yule, but Potter did get a letter saying don't return. Draco had accidentally seen it. 

"It's for your own protection and theirs as well." Dumbledore smiled at Potter, his eyes were twinkling.

"What protection?" 

"Your mother provided a very strong form of protection the night your parents were killed."

Severus watched Potter and nothing passed over Potter's face. "You must stay at least a month, after that, I'm sure you will be able to visit with the Weasley family for the remainder of your summer holiday."

"Why? I don't even know them." 

Severus was wondering that himself. The boy hadn't even so much as spoken to anyone outside of Slytherin, nevermind the Weasley family. 

"Mr. and Mrs. Weasley knew your parents. They were very close." 

Severus wondered what Dumbledore was doing. "No, thank you. Is that all?" Potter's tone hadn't changed, his attitude hadn't changed, but Severus felt that Potter wasn't going to agree with whatever plans Dumbledore might have. 

"Yes, do go back to your dorm, have a good summer holiday." 

______________________________________________

2nd year:

Severus was a bit surprised to see Potter enter his office. The boy certainly didn't need help. "I saw the female Weasley throw this into the bathroom. I retrieved it. It is blank but writes back to you when you write in it."

Severus was working on trying to get some students unpetrified. He took the black leather bound book, saw the initials TMR on the corner of it. The book reeked of dark magic. "Weasley?" 

"Yes, saw her always writing in it. Today she was yelling at the book, threw it into the loo, screamed something about Granger, and left." Potter shrugged. 

_________________________________________

"No, Albus, I'm not sure how Ginny Weasley obtained the book. She, however, knows more than she is admitting. She was writing in the book. Many students saw her writing in it."

"I have to agree, it would also explain why the girl disappeared for hours at a time. I believed it was her brothers pranking her, but after seeing and feeling that book, I find Severus' assessment is accurate." 

Dumbledore sighed. "TMR stands for Tom Marvolo Riddle. I'm wondering what the book's objective was?"

Severus knew Dumbledore would have kept the book intact, but Severus had gone to Minerva first, and together they destroyed the book. "You know that book had something to do with students being petrified."

"I agree with Severus."

"Since it's destroyed, there isn't much more we can do. How are we doing on getting the students unpetrified?"

"The potion will be ready tomorrow." Severus couldn't wait for the school year to be finished.

_____________________________________________

3rd year:

"Who?" 

"Sirius Black, he is your godfather. He has been in Azkaban and escaped over the summer. Professor Lupin is another one of your father's friends." 

Potter looked unimpressed. "OK." 

______________________________________________

"What?" Potter looked at him in confusion.

"The Headmaster and Lupin want you to take extra lessons so that you can learn how to cast the Patronus Charm." 

"I already know how to do it. I really have no desire to spend any time with Professor Lupin." 

"Show me, if you can do it, I will make sure you don't have to take the lessons." 

"Expecto Patronum." A white fox leaped out of Potter's wand. The fox jumped around a bit before Potter waved it away.

"I will inform the Headmaster." 

______________________________________________________________________

"He could have killed them." Severus indicated the three idiotic Gryffindors lying in the Infirmary. "Black actually saved their lives, but lost his own in doing so."

"It's not like Remus to forget to take his potion. He panicked when he saw Black dragging Ronald into the Shrieking Shack." Dumbledore explained. "It was a tragic accident." Dumbledore glanced at the bed that a soulless Black was now slowly dying. 

"An accident that wouldn't have happened if the trio of idiots had obeyed the rules." Severus was furious, Dumbledore had already dismissed any punishment for the trio. "They were lucky I saw them running." 

"I'm sure they are thankful." 

Severus glared and walked away muttering about ungrateful Gryffindors.

_________________________________________

4th year:

"What? I didn't put my name in the Goblet." Potter looked around the Great Hall. 

"Potter, follow me." Severus knew the boy didn't enter his name. The boy had no desire to have anyone even notice him. 

Potter followed him into the alcove where everyone was screaming at each other about the names selected. Potter joined him in watching the chaos until Dumbledore finally arrived with Mad-Eye. 

"Harry, did you enter your name into the Goblet?" 

"No, I had no desire to enter, I won't be competing in this Tournament either." Potter stated. No matter what was said, Potter didn't speak again. It was decided that Potter would compete.

______________________________________

Severus watched Potter look at the dragon. Potter walked up to it and sat down on the ground, pulled out a book, and started to read. Potter ignored the screaming crowd as he pulled out an apple to eat while he was reading. 

After an hour of watching Potter, Dumbledore finally declared the event over. Viktor Krum came in first.

_____________________________________________________

Severus wondered what the boy was going to do now. It was February and they wanted the four champions to enter Black Lake. Soon three of the contestants entered but Potter took a step back as Mad-Eye tried to push him in. Potter arched a brow and headed for the healer tent. 

Severus and the rest of the Slytherin were actually enjoying watching Potter ignoring the whole Tournament. They knew he didn't enter. Potter, they knew, was a boy of few words and when he did speak he meant what he said. 

Viktor Krum won again. 

____________________________________________________

Severus wondered what the maze was going to contain. He had noticed that Mad-Eye kept trying to get Potter to do the Tournament, but Potter was avoiding Mad-Eye as well as Dumbledore. Severus watched Potter get told to enter the maze. 

Potter summoned a chair and sat down, pulled out a book and started reading, again. Severus wondered how the boy wasn't a Ravenclaw. He was going back and forth in the ranking with Granger, which was really bothering the Know-It-All. Granger was almost living in the library.

Red sparks flew up, and Fleur was removed, Poppy rushed forward as Fleur was bleeding. A short time later, another red spark went up and Viktor was escorted out. Viktor was hanging onto Kingsley and another Auror. They escorted Viktor directly into the healer tent. Almost as soon as the tent flaps were closed, another red spark was sent up into the air. Minerva and Filius were removing Cedric from the maze on a stretcher. Leaving only Harry Potter left. 

"Potter, go and get the cup. You can still win." Mad-Eye yelled from the other side of the maze. 

"No thanks." Potter rose and headed to the healer tent. 

Severus watched as Mad-Eye started having a fit. Everyone watched as the man started to transform, gasps from the staff and Ministry personnel as Barty Crouch, Jr. appeared. Dumbledore stunned the man as the Aurors ran to append Barty. 

_______________________________________________________

5th year:

"Professor Snape, I don't know if it's important but there are a lot of students with their hands' bandaged after having detentions with Umbridge." Potter stood in front of Severus' desk after class. 

"Any of my snakes?" Severus had warned Dumbledore about allowing the woman into Hogwarts. However, Dumbledore caused the problems they were experiencing. Dumbledore kept insisting that what Barty told everyone was the truth, that the Dark Lord was attempting to return. 

Severus thought the man should have just let the Ministry remain in denial, while they worked behind the scenes. Dumbledore was a Gryffindor and couldn't stop talking about the Dark Lord's return. People were thinking Dumbledore was going senile.

"No, but she keeps attempting to give me a detention." 

"If you earn a detention, let me know." Severus was going to be seeing the students with bandaged hands. His first stop was going to be Poppy. 

"Oh, Granger and Weasley had a meeting in Hogsmeade, they are forming a group for everyone but the Slytherins to learn the OWL material this year." 

Severus arched his brow, he knew his snakes were already making sure everyone would pass their exams. "I will investigate." He was going to enjoy removing points from the Gryffindors. 

_______________________________________________________

"She was using a Blood Quill." Minerva slammed the quill down on Dumbledore's desk. 

"I told you she was hurting the students." Severus had been trying to get Dumbledore to listen to him for months. He knew the man had to have known, the wards would have informed him that a dark artifact was in Hogwarts.

"She has been arrested." 

___________________________________________________

6th year:

"What?" Potter looked at Dumbledore. 

"Voldemort returned over the summer. You must train to defeat him. Professor Snape has agreed to instruct you." 

Severus wasn't sure if the Dark Lord was really back, his mark hadn't darkened, so he wasn't sure where Dumbledore was getting his information from. He had shown Dumbledore his mark. He wondered what exactly was going on. 

"Hermione and Ron have also agreed to assist in your training." 

Severus wasn't aware of that aspect, but he knew Granger nor Weasley were up to par with where Potter was on DADA. The boy ranked number 1 on his OWLs in DADA. He wondered if the boy actually had a NEWT in it.

"No." Potter's face didn't even change, his voice was the usual bored tone. 

"You must, it's your destiny. There is a prophecy-" Dumbledore had summoned up Potter and Severus as a way to get Potter to train with Severus. Severus had warned the man that he didn't have a connection with Potter. The boy spoke to him perhaps once a year at the most.

"Yes, I'm aware of it, and since I already vanquished him once, I did complete it. Vanquish does not mean keep fighting him until one of us is dead." 

Severus wasn't sure of the whole prophecy but he had to agree. Vanquish didn't mean kill, it meant defeat. 

"The prophecy states that only-"

"I did it once. It doesn't state multiple times." 

"Your family gave their lives for you, protecting you, enabling you to remain with your muggle relatives with their protection." Dumbledore smiled. "You are needed to save our culture from the dark." 

"I haven't lived with my muggle relatives since I arrived here. They didn't want me there, and I didn't want to live with abusive relatives any longer. You are the one who placed me there, never checking on me, allowing them to abuse me, and now you want me to protect a culture I have no connection to? A culture that believes a child was able to defeat a man with vast knowledge of magic. It was my parents that did it, not me. Now, you are expecting me, who doesn't even have seven years of magical training to go after a man who has decades? Sorry, not happening. As soon as I am finished with Hogwarts, I'm done with this world. The only reason I even agreed to attend was that I was about to run away and live on the streets." 

"You said you were residing with your relatives." Dumbledore buried his anger. He didn't like being lied to.

"I have been. I stayed three summers with the Tonks family. Tonks was able to show me some of her Metamorphmagus skills. The last two summers with Algie Longbottom, who is related to my grandmother via the Black family line. He has been helping me in a variety of areas, including Herbology." 

Severus suddenly had respect for Potter. The boy hadn't lied, hadn't been spending his time with his abusive relates. He even researched the prophecy. No many people could outplay Dumbledore without Dumbledore discovering it.

"As your magical guardian, you should have informed me." Dumbledore wasn't hiding his anger.

"You aren't. My entrance into the Triwizard Tournament declared me an adult, as only those over 17 were allowed to enter. Before that, Ted and Andromeda were my guardians. You should be thankful I'm not pressing charges against you and my muggle relatives for child abuse and neglect." Potter's face still hadn't changed. "You were the one who kept insisting I was safe, I was being training, I was being informed about my family. You didn't do any of that. I wasn't safe, I wasn't trained, and I wasn't informed about my family. Hagrid had to tell me about how my parents died. I wasn't even told how to get onto the train platform or even my vault key." 

Severus was watching Potter closely. The boy knew Occlumency, he was willing to be that Andromeda and Algie made sure Potter could protect his mind. Severus wanted to laugh at Dumbledore. All his plans were ruined. The boy knew Dumbledore didn't have his best interests at heart. 

"You need to be trained. It's not up for debate, you must be ready for when Voldemort attacks." 

"No. If you keep on insisting I'm sure my magical guardian would love to hear about this meeting." 

Severus was very impressed. This Potter was in control, knew his rights, and wasn't afraid to make sure that Dumbledore wasn't going to bully him into being the Savior. Dumbledore looked like he swallowed a lemon. "Why don't you return to your dorm? I need to speak to Professor Snape." 

Severus watched Potter walk away. The boy reminded him of himself, without the dark leanings. The boy didn't care about being accepted, didn't care about anyone really, and certainly didn't trust Dumbledore.

"Severus, we must do something." 

"It's your own fault. You left him there to be abused. I have been telling you that returning abused children to their abusive families was wrong. You did it with the Dark Lord, you did it with me, and now Potter."

"Severus, isn't the time. We have to get Harry to train, get him to join the Order, and defeat Voldemort."

"Do you enjoy causing me pain? You know each time you do say that name it hurts? Oh, wait, that is right, you don't care if you hurt someone as long as they do what you want." Severus snapped. 

"That isn't true! I care for you deeply." 

"Albus, if that was true, you wouldn't keep mentioning the Dark Lord's name. You are a general preparing for war but have you thought about what you are doing to children who you have been entrusted with their care? You have repeatedly returned abused children to their abuser. Guess where those children go after they leave here?" Severus crossed his arms over his chest.

"You have made your point. Now, how do we get Harry to agree to help us?"

"I have no idea. He hasn't any friends in the school. I doubt he connected to the Tonks or Algie Longbottom. He hasn't connected to anyone in my house but they all knew to stay away from him." 

"Perhaps an apprenticeship?" Dumbledore suggested.


	66. Chapter 66

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry is dead, yep as in dead, not alive any longer.

Harry opened his eyes. He was in a dark room. He knew exactly where he was. "Great, I'm dead and still live at the Dursleys." He knew it was late at night as the house was quiet, which it normally wasn't with the Dursleys. Harry had wondered for decades if the Dursley family even knew how to be awake and not have a telly going. 

Harry began to make a list of things he needed to get done. He knew he couldn't take any money out of his vaults as Dumbledore would know and wonder what was going on. He knew he couldn't use any of the titles for the same reason. He wasn't going to stay here and be the pawn for Dumbledore. 

He jumped a bit when Petunia hit the door, yelling at him to get up and make their breakfast. Harry hadn't realized he had spent so much time making his plans. He kicked the door opened, sending it flying across the small hall into the wall. He ignored Petunia's yelling. He stretched and headed for the front door. He wasn't worried about Vernon or Dudley coming after him. They would be glad he was gone. 

Once he reached the park down the road. He looked around to make sure no one was around. "Kreacher."

Kreacher appeared. He looked at Harry. "You Master, yet not Master."

"I'll explain, but I need you to take me to your Mistress. I need to speak to her." Kreacher wasn't sure what to do. "I'm Dorea Potter nee Black's grandson. I need the protection of the Black family." 

Kreacher grabbed Harry and the popped away. Harry was in the sitting room of Grimmauld Place before the place went downhill. He could feel the dark magic but the house wasn't covered in dust, cobwebs, and the furniture was in great shape. "Lady Black, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm heir Harry Potter."

Walburga Black kept her face impassive. "I believe that needs to be explained."

Harry took a seat. "It all starts with Dumbledore and his plans to keep control. As you know, it was him who set up my parents in the house in Godric's Hollow. It was him who told everyone what happened that night, even though he wasn't there. He has set me up to be linked to the war, to his views. He stashed me at some disgusting muggles house to be raised without the knowledge of our world or culture."

Walburga leaned back in her seat. "What do you expect me to do about it?"

"Sirius is in Azkaban, even if he got released, he would follow Dumbledore. Regulus is deceased. Next in line for the Black title is Draco Malfoy who would promote the Malfoy name, not the Black name, which is older. I am suggesting that you and your husband do a blood adoption on me. I would honor the Black name and I won't follow Dumbledore." 

Walburga arched a brow. "You are holding back something."

"Yes, I'm sure if you ran a scan on me, a health one, you will discover what I'm hiding."

Walburga pulled out her wand and ran the scans. She read the results, twice. "What do I get out of this besides an heir that won't ruin the Black name?"

"I will make sure Dumbledore pays for what he has done." 

Walburga gave a real smile for the first time in years. "I will speak to Orion, but I don't believe it will be an issue."

______________________________________________________

Orion and Walburga were standing next to Lucius and Narcissa as they watched the Weasley family crowd around the entrance from the muggle side. The last few years had been interesting. The Ministry had looked for Harry Potter for a year, offering a variety of rewards for information. 

"Boys, remember to write. We will see you at Yule." Narcissa gave Draco a kiss on the cheek.

"We will, Mother." Draco saw Cygnus endure the same treatment from his Aunt Walburga

Cygnus knew that Draco didn't know he was the former Harry Potter. Lucius was aware of the information as they had needed his knowledge of Ministry law to hide the Potter seats and vaults, without Dumbledore becoming aware of the situation. 

Cygnus watched the Weasley family for several seconds before he followed Draco onto the train. He wasn't sure what Dumbledore was going to do about the missing Harry Potter, but he had a feeling there would be a Harry Potter at Hogwarts. 

Kreacher had already removed the Invisibility Cloak and the Marauder's Map from Hogwarts. Cygnus had been eight when he become Orion and Walburga's child. Kreacher, at first, was skeptical but soon treated Cygnus like he was a Black family member. When Cygnus had asked Kreacher to fetch the items, Kreacher didn't hestitate.


	67. Chapter 67

Harry and Neville were sitting opposite each other at another Order meeting. They had been resisting the urge to curse almost everyone in the meeting. Dumbledore was asking for everyone’s report and Granger had been speaking for almost an hour about her latest research on how Voldemort could have returned.

The girl loved to hear the sound of her own voice. Harry wasn’t sure if the girl just got so excited to actually be around human beings that she just spewed out everything she was thinking or she was still trying to show everyone how much smarter she believed she was. Granger made him sick. She always had to be right. If you didn’t agree with her, she would cram what she viewed as the fact down your throat. If you presented different ones she would claim a moral high ground like with the house elves. She didn’t care that she was murdering a race with her knitted gifts. He loathed how she would be willing to fight for causes and break laws for them but if anyone else did it they got a lecture.

Harry knew he wasn’t the only one bored out of his mind. The girl’s voice just droned on and on. Her boyfriend looked like he mastered the art of sleeping with his eyes opened. Minerva and Tonks were spiking their tea with a pep-up potion. Severus had been about to interrupt numerous times to tell the girl to shut up but Dumbledore had given him a warning look. Everyone knew Severus could only stomach Granger for so long.

“Great another method that he could have return. How about we actually work on how to get rid of him?” Neville glared at Granger. “Why are you looking for ways he came back? We don’t know and until we do, we can’t use any of those methods to kill him. How about we find out why he returned? What enabled him to return?”

Harry was a bit surprised Neville lasted as long as he did. They had been annoyed with the Order for a long time. Dumbledore had been placating them for months. Dumbledore had “allowed” Harry and Neville to actually live in Potter Manor after they threaten to follow Draco and others to Paris.

They had been in the process of packing when Dumbledore appeared at Grimmauld Place. At first they told him they were heading to Paris when Dumbledore gave them a ton of reasons not to leave they changed their minds and Dumbledore thought he had them. They kept on packing when Dumbledore asked them where they were going Harry stated Longbottom Manor. Dumbledore didn’t want Lady Longbottom to influence either of the boys. Lady Longbottom had become very disenchanted with Dumbledore.

Dumbledore had “gifted” his former students with apprenticeships with staff members he knew supported him as a way to keep Harry, Neville, and Weasley at Hogwarts. Harry and Neville agreed after only they got to pick who they would apprentice under. Neville selected Pomona Spout and Harry selected Severus, much to Dumbledore’s surprise. Dumbledore talked Minerva into taking on Weasley. Harry felt really bad for Minerva. The woman was going to be stuck with Weasley forever.

 

Weaslette was a different story. Dumbledore had wanted Harry to marry the girl. Harry had refused to agree. He wasn’t sure where she was now. Weaslette had taken off with Dean Thomas during her last year. She got pregnant by him and tried to claim it was Harry’s. One little potion and it was proven the baby wasn’t Harry. When it backfired the pair disappeared into the muggle world.

Dumbledore had wanted Granger to go to a magical university but she wasn’t accepted into any of them due to the limited schooling that Hogwarts offered. Granger was accepted into a local college. She was taking a lot of classes that would enable her to transfer to a university later.

“I believe the research will enable us to determine which method he used. Once we find the most likely method, we can determine how to defeat him.” Dumbledore smiled at everyone. “Hermione has been researching the different methods and based on my knowledge of Tom, we can select the best rituals he used.”

“Maybe it’s just me but since you won’t let us research using any of the dark arts books doesn’t that make her researching useless. We are limiting her research to light arts books and you know the man loves the dark arts. The man lives and breathes dark arts. So why are we limiting our research to the light arts?” Harry had wanted an answer to that question from Dumbledore for months. Dumbledore had never given him an opening to ask that question in an Order meeting. The meeting had been going on for over three hours and for Dumbledore to give him that opening meant that Dumbledore was getting tired.

“I would like an answer to that also. I mean there is nothing in the books Granger has been using. I prefer to have the man eliminated before he kills me.” Severus had been pushing for months to get Dumbledore to see the truth of the situation. He had been researching the in the books he had but he needed access to books that Dumbledore had stored in his office.

“They’re dark. We can’t allow that.” Molly gave them all a stern look. “We can’t be corrupted by dark magic.”

“I see. You want me to kill him, blacken my soul, but heaven help us that we might use some dark art books to actually do it without blacken my soul or anyone else.” Harry’s temper was beginning to boil. “What’s my life in regard to opening a book and reading it? Books can’t taint your soul like murder can but sure let’s keep going on down the same useless path we have been for the last five years.”

“I have to agree with Harry, Albus. Those books can only aid us. While Hermione has been doing an amazing job researching while attending university having the right information is vital.” Minerva was training Weasley in transfiguration which the boy didn’t have an aptitude for. She had tried to stop the apprenticeships but Dumbledore used his pull to get them approved.

Dumbledore looked around the room. Everyone was tired but it was clear they agreed with Harry and Minerva. He didn’t want them looking in the books. They could or would find a way to defeat Tom without allowing Harry or Neville to live. He needed to keep his control over their world. He had been doing it for almost three hundred years and wasn’t about to let Tom or two brats stop him.

“I agree.” Kingsley added his voice. “We are losing too many young people to You-Know-Who.”

Harry really wanted to start cursing people. He wondered if he could do it and get a memory charm out before Dumbledore had even drew his wand. He didn’t trust Dumbledore but he wasn’t fast enough to take out Dumbledore and his supporters. He felt Neville squeeze his leg in warning.

“I will allow the books to be used by a select few. I will set up a warded area for most of us to research. Severus, Harry, Neville, and Hermione will be able to take what books they want to use for research. Minerva will write up a schedule for guard duty, patrolling, and for someone to be available in the ward area for protection.”

“Just those at Hogwarts or will everyone be available for protection in the new area Albus is going to create?”

“Everyone.” Dumbledore didn’t want anyone to spend too much time in the area he was going to create. “I will limit the research sessions to four hours each.” He didn’t want anyone to feel the magic he would be using in the room. “Is there anything else?” No one spoke. “It’s late. I do believe it’s time to end the meeting. We have discussed everything that we can.”

____________________________________________

Neville and Harry landed into Potter Manor. They made their way to Harry’s office and were a bit surprised to find Dobby healing Lucius. Lucius went to get up. “It’s fine Lucius. What happened?”

Lucius was dressed as his normal pompous self. He wore deep grey robes but his hair was messy, his face was pale, and he was twitching. “The Dark Lord decided to have some fun with me and Narcissa tonight. He finally killed her.”

“Draco?” Neville didn’t see the blond. He was a bit worried about Draco. He moved closer to Lucius and started to fix his hair. He felt Lucius lean into his hand. “Dobby draw us a bath.” Dobby popped away. Dobby had toned down his hyper active self after Bella cursed him.

“He is still in Paris. I sent him a letter telling him to remain there until I recalled him. The Dark Lord wanted Draco to take the mark. He was displeased that Draco wasn’t available to be marked. Narcissa was trying to keep him calm but nothing pleased him. He killed her while she was showing him some pleasure.” Lucius leaned into his mates hands. He needed the touch of his mate to settle him down.  He would break down and cry when he was alone with his mate.

Narcissa was Lucius’ best friend and for years his strongest supporter. She had handled all of the household duties as well as playing the perfect role of wife, mother, and socialite. Narcissa had her own mate but he had died during the last war.

“Neville, take him upstairs. Get him settled, have him call Draco on the cell phone.“  Harry was thankful that Arthur Weasley liked to tinker with muggle devices. Harry had given him some cell phones to see if he could get them to work in the magical world. He couldn’t but his notes allowed the twins to do it.

Neville didn’t argue and helped Lucius get up. At the door, Neville glanced back. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“That doesn’t limit me.” Harry looked at his desk. He had some work that needed to be done. However, he was thinking about why Dumbledore didn’t want people to have access to the books he claimed where dark. He sat down, stared at the flames in the fireplace.

“Master?”

Harry came out of the trance he had put himself into as he was reviewing the memories of the night. He wasn’t surprised to find his mate standing beside his desk. “Pet.”

“Reviewing the meeting?” Severus sat down on Harry’s lap. Harry had pushed his chair away from his desk and patted his lap. Severus wasn’t going to turn down some comfort.

“Yes. Lucius had some bad news to share. The Dark Lord killed Narcissa tonight.”

Severus didn’t comment for several minutes as he processed what Harry told him. “What happened?”

“I don’t have all the details but apparently the Dark Lord wanted to mark Draco tonight. When Narcissa tried to distract him, he killed her.” Harry rubbed his hand up and down Severus’ arm. “Draco will be taken care of.”

“I’m aware.” Severus leaned back fully against Harry. “Dumbledore will use this. He will expect Lucius to turn to him. He will expect Draco to join.”

“That is up to Neville to decide. “ Harry pinched Severus’ butt. “Can you remain the night?”


	68. Chapter 68

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if during Harry's third year a dementor got to close? What if the dementor sucked out Harry's soul but left Voldie's? This was based off an abandoned story over on FF that someone sent the link to me for.

"Harry?" 

The Dark Lord wanted to dance manically around. He was now in charge. He was now in full control. Now he was going to make them all pay. However, he had to deal with Harry Potter. He ignored the voices calling for Harry as he began to think about how to not make Dumbledore aware of the change. 

"My boy?" 

The Dark Lord wanted to curse the old man standing by him. His body hurt. He took a nasty fall from that broom. He didn't feel like anything was broken. He slowly sat up, resisting the urge to groan. He opened his eyes and saw a circle of staff and students around him. Poppy had her wand out. 

"He just had the breath knocked out of him. Some bruising as expected. I will give him a pain potion for later." Poppy tucked her wand back up her sleeve. 

The Dark Lord looked around as he rose from the ground. He had a perfect excuse to not play Quidditch any longer. He loved to fly but hated the game. He had a lot of planning to do. 

"Harry?" 

"I'm fine." 

"Your broom isn't." Ron Weasley held up the bristle part of the broom. "The rest is in a thousand pieces." 

"Oh, Harry. I'm so sorry. Perhaps you can ride a school broom for the rest of the game." Ginny Weasley pointed to a bunch of twigs on the ground.

"No, I'm not going to get on a broom." The Dark Lord was already making a revised study schedule. He wasn't going to remain the ignorant Savior any longer. 

"My boy, you shouldn't let a bad fall stop you from trying. You must try again or you might be harder next time." Dumbledore held out a candy tin. "Lemon drop?"

"No, thank you. I'll go and watch the rest of the game." The Dark Lord walked toward the stands. He wasn't about to keep playing a Quidditch star.

The Dark Lord selected to ignore all the voices yelling about the game and focus on everything he was processing.


	69. Chapter 69

Severus was dragged out of Azkaban and guided to courtroom 8. He was a bit confused. He had already been tossed into Azkaban and sentenced by the Wizengamot. He wasn't even awake when it happened. He was now standing between two unnamed Aurors. He saw Potter's hands moving. He bet Potter was pushing for him to be given the Kiss. 

He caught Granger's eyes and she looked upset. He wasn't sure what was going on with the girl. He ignored her as she approached him. "I'm so sorry, Professor Snape. They won't listen to me."

"Why was I summoned here?"

"Harry has been trying to get you freed. He told them about the Headmaster asking you to kill him. However, the no one believes him. Now, Harry wants to use a spell that would do a basic enslavement spell. I told him it was wrong. He is arguing with some of the Lords and Ladies about getting you out. I warned him this was a bad idea. You wouldn't want to be enslaved. It's so wrong." 

Severus looked at Potter who was arguing with Fudge. How the man remained in office he wasn't sure. He believed it was because Dumbledore would get the man to do anything he wanted. "So your idea is to leave me in Azkaban?"

"Yes, Sir, it's better than being enslaved. Harry is trying to gain permanent ownership of you. He wants you to be able to work and do other things while Fudge wants full enslavement."

"Ms. Granger, did it ever occur to you that I would rather be a slave free of Azkaban?" Severus looked at the girl as if she was nuts. He remembered her stance on house elves and how it almost killed them. Dumbledore had to step in and after assuring the house elves they weren't going to be freed they returned to cleaning Gryffindor. 

"Sir, it's so wrong. No one should be a slave." Granger's voice was filled with horror. 

"It's better than being dementor food. Having my mind slowly erode way as insanity takes hold. It's better than freezing to death. I would rather be able to walk around a room bigger than 100 cubic feet." Severus glanced at Potter. The boy was better than he thought. He had honestly expected Potter to be leading the charge for his death and Granger to be the one to demand his release. 

"Severus." 

Severus didn't realize Minerva had arrived. "Minerva." 

"Oh, I am so happy to see you. Harry wasn't sure if he could get them to agree. I see they are still trying to push him into backing down." Minerva looked around the courtroom. "He has researched the different spells and what is needed. He tried to get you released on his memories but they wouldn't accept Albus' memories second hand." She looked at the two Aurors. "I also brought you a change of clothes. Harry arranged for Kingsley to let you shower and change in his office before we leave here."

"Professor McGonagall, you can't let this happen. Professor Snape would be a slave." 

Minerva's lips thinned out as she turned to face Granger. "I support Harry because he wants to get Severus out of the cruelest place in our world. No innocent person should be in Azkaban." 

Kingsley joined them. "Harry got them to agree to the minor spell with the stipulation that Severus has to live with him. Harry agreed."

Severus was a bit surprised. His view of Potter and Granger had radically changed.


	70. Chapter 70

Harry stared at his daily schedule. "Really?" 

"Yes, I was a bit surprised myself. He wants a meeting for tonight. I couldn't find another excuse. Look at tomorrow night." 

Harry flipped his daily planner and saw who was scheduled. "Why are they suddenly interested in us?"

"The war is getting worse." Alexander leaned back in his chair. He was sitting opposite his boss. 

The office was done in soft greens couches and chairs, walnut furniture for the tables and desk, and off-white paint on the walls. There was a stone fireplace behind him as he faced a wall full of windows. To his boss' right was a wall of bookcases full of books, to his boss' left was the door. 

"True, prepare everyone, we might have to go with plan A." Harry closed his planner. "Personally speak to each of the unit heads, warn them about might be needed." Harry had been preparing for this for years.

"I will. Here is the incoming list of ships. We have three still in quartine, five that are in line for being unloaded." Alexander provided the list of ships, docks, warehouses, and workers out due to illness.

__________________________________________________

"Boss, their here." Alexander stood in the doorway.

"Show them in, bring some tea." Harry had already made sure there was nothing in his office that Dumbledore would be able to use. He even made sure to remove anything personal. 

Alexander escorted an old man with the ugliest, brightest yellow robe he had ever seen in. It was Dumbledore. He had heard about the robes but had never seen them. Dumbledore was followed by a man in his early forties, with black hair, and dressed in all black. 

"Boss, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, Potion Master Professor Severus Snape." Alexander set the tea tray down on the table that was between the couch and the two matching green chairs that faced the couch. 

Harry rose. "Good evening, please have a seat." Harry sat down on the couch. He didn't care for the chairs. They weren't comfortable as he didn't want his current guests to linger. 

"Mr. Gannet, it is a pleasure to meet you. I have been trying for months to arrange a meeting." Dumbledore smiled as he walked to the chair. 

"It's just Gannet. It's my nickname. Spring is always a busy time for us." Harry indicated the chairs. "Please take a seat."

Alexander prepared the tea and left. "What can I do for you, Mr. Dumbledore?" Harry wasn't about to let Dumbledore rule anything. 

"I'm sure you are aware of the current state of our world. I was hoping to work out an agreement between us that would have you aiding in keeping illegal items out of our world."

"I see. What exactly do you mean?" Harry had heard about Dumbledore and his numerous restrictions on magic, the people allowed to attend Hogwarts, and even what was acceptable to read. He wasn't exactly sure what Dumbledore wanted. 

"As you are aware there are some negative influences in our world. I would like to make sure they don't further corrupt our world and I believe you can assist." 

Harry arched a brow. "Mr. Dumbledore, are you suggesting I'm aiding in illegal activities?"

"No, no, my boy, not at all. I would like to be assured that you are aligned with the right side of the war." 

"Right side?"

"Yes, my boy, you have a chance to save lives by simply denying access to the docks to the darker side."

"Mr. Dumbledore, are you suggesting I go against the Ministry and ban those who only you approve the use of the docks?" 

"No, my boy, only that you use extra methods to prevent anything illegal from occurring. I'm also hoping you would be willing to allow us the use of your docks for incoming wizards and their families." 

"If they arrive legally, I have no problem with your using our services. They will have to be cleared with immigration. If you would like to draw up a contract, with a set price, we can create one." Harry was wondering if Snape was going to speak.

Dumbledore's eyes started twinkling. "I believe that would be acceptable. We will be expecting people from France." 

Harry called Alexander back into his office and they worked out a deal.   
_____________________________________________________________________

Harry set up some privacy wards and protections wards in his office. He wasn't looking forward to this meeting. Alexander had already prepared the tea. "They're here."

Harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Show them in."

Harry wasn't impressed by the Dark Lord. The man was tall, thin, looked a lot younger than his true age. Behind him was a man with the palest blond long blond hair and Severus Snape. Alexander 

"Good evening, please have a seat." Harry sat down on the couch. He didn't care for the chairs. They weren't comfortable as he didn't want his current guests to linger. 

"Mr. Gannet, it is a pleasure to meet you. I have been trying for months to arrange a meeting. I'm sure Lucius stressed how important the docks are to the cause in the war." The Dark Lord sat down on one of the indicated chairs. 

"It's just Gannet. It's my nickname. Spring is always a busy time for us." Harry indicated the chairs. "Please, Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Snape, take a seat."

Alexander prepared the tea and left. "What can I do for you, gentlemen?" Harry passed the plate of biscuits to Severus so that the plate would be passed around. 

"I'm sure you are aware of the current state of our world. I was hoping to work out an agreement between us for aiding in the cause." The Dark Lord smiled. "It would be very beneficial to us all."

"I see. What exactly do you mean?" Harry had heard about the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters. He had seen the changes they wanted in their world. While he liked a lot of the changes, he wasn't for the killing of muggles or muggle-borns. He did agree with the idea of removing the restrictions that Dumbledore had placed on magic. 

"As you are aware there are some conflicting interests in our world. I would like to make sure they don't further interfere with our world and I believe you can assist. I'm sure you would be able to prevent or hinder their attempts." 

Harry arched a brow. "Mr. Slytherin, are you suggesting I'm aiding in illegal activities?"

"No, no, not at all. I would like to be assured that you are aligned with the right side of the war."

"Right side?" Harry really wondered about the two "leaders" of the wars. 

"Yes, you have a chance to save lives by simply delaying or even hindering the import of goods or people entering our country."

"Mr. Slytherin, are you suggesting I go against the Ministry, with a member of the Wizengamot in our mists? A member who has the ear of the Minister of Magic. The Ministry which has set up some very strict laws regarding the importing and exporting of goods." 

"No. I am asking that you only use some of your extra methods to prevent certain events from occurring. I'm also hoping you would be willing to allow us the use of your docks for incoming wizards and their families." 

"If they arrive legally, I have no problem with your using our services. They will have to be cleared with immigration. If you would like to draw up a contract, with a set price, we can create one." Harry was wondering if Snape was going to speak this night. Malfoy had a briefcase with him. Malfoy was already pulling out some parchment. 

"I believe that would be acceptable. We will be expecting people from all over the world." The Dark Lord smiled. 

Harry called Alexander back into his office and they worked out a deal. 

____________________________________________________

"You have another interesting meeting tonight." Alexander pointed out. 

"I noticed. I am wondering what Mr. Snape could possibly wish to discuss with me."


	71. Chapter 71

Rodolphus stared at Sirius Black as he handed him Harry Potter. Sirius Black threw a set of keys at him. He wasn't expecting this rouse to work. He had followed his lord here and had witnessed the events that unfolded. He just wasn't expecting Hagrid to show up. He cast a sleep spell on Hagrid and glamoured himself. 

"Protect him, Hagrid. I know Dumbledore will take great care of my godson." 

"I will." Rodolphus held the small crying boy in his arms. He had been wiping away the blood and tears. Why hadn't anyone healed the boy? He headed to the motorcycle. 

____________________________________________________________________

Rodolphus passed Harry off to his brother. "Take him home. I will be there after I deliver this child to Dumbledore." Rodolphus had stopped in a small town and removed an orphan from an orphanage. Together with his brother, they performed a blood glamour on the infant. "I will deliver this child to Dumbledore." 

"I will keep him away from Bella until you get home. We will need to explain what happened to our Lord." 

"I won't be too long. Dumbledore should already be waiting for me. I have to cast a refresher of the Chinese glamour spell. Dumbledore can see through the Latin one." 

______________________________________________

Rodolphus landed the motorcycle. He liked the flying machine and planned on keeping it. He needed to pay a visit to Hagrid after this to make sure the man had the required memories. "Professor Dumbledore, Sir. Professor McGonagall."

Dumbledore had already made sure there were no lights shining on them. "No problems, I trust, Hagrid?"

"No, sir. Little tyke fell asleep just as we were flying over Bristol. Heh. Try not to wake him. There you go." Rodolphus handed over the small boy. He hoped the boy had a better life now that he wasn't in an orphanage. He would have to return here and make sure the muggles knew the boy wasn't magical and that they treated him as if he was one of their own. 

"Albus, do you really think its safe, leaving him with these people? I've been watching them all day. They're the worst sort of Muggles imaginable. They really are." 

Rodolphus decided he was going to return here as soon as Dumbledore and McGonagall were gone. He wasn't about to take a chance. 

"The only family he has." Dumbledore started walking up the walk to the house. "It's for the best." They stopped by the stoop. 

"This boy will be famous. There won't be a child in our world who doesn't know his name." McGonally peered down at the boy who was sleeping. 

"Exactly. He's better off growing up away from all that. Until he is ready." 

Rodolphus wanted to kill the old man. Away from magic and living with muggles? Rodolphus knew that Dumbledore was doing it for all sorts of reasons but not to protect Harry Potter. Rodolphus started coughing and sniffling as he was crying. He cleared his throat. He hoped he was playing Hagrid correctly. 

"There, there, Hagrid. It's not really goodbye, after all."

Rodolphus just simply nodded. Dumbledore took a letter and placed it on the baby, who he had set down at foot of the door.

"Good luck...Harry Potter." Dumbledore turned and escorted McGonagall away. 

Rodolphus followed but wanted to kill the old man. Leaving a baby on a doorstep. It was now November. It was after midnight and it was freezing. He knew he couldn't do anything without Dumbledore's knowledge until the old man was gone. He got on the flying motorcycle and took off. 

Rodolphus circled above the house for an hour before he landed. He began to fix the things that Dumbledore did. He morphed into a police officer, picked the baby up, and prepared to play muggle.


	72. Chapter 72

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> another Vala411 idea.

Severus stared at the results of his Inheritance Test. He had gone to Gringotts yesterday, per Lucius' idea, to see if he had any titles. Lucius had suggested that Severus might be Lord Prince since the title laid unclaimed. Yes, he was Lord Prince, that wasn't the issue. It was the other information he learned. 

He found in a vault a stack of letters. Letters his mother had placed for safekeeping under her former name to be given to Severus when passed. However, Dumbledore sealed her will. His mother had written one letter. It was a simple letter saying goodbye to him and telling him to read the other letters. 

He read each letter and felt elated that he had killed Dumbledore. As he pondered the idea of the man lying dead in a tome he glanced at the bookcase. Dumbledore was leaving to much to chance by playing dead. He needed confirmation. 

_______________________________________________

Severus started cursing and used the golem in the tome as target practice. After he finished venting, he sealed the tome, making it look like it had never been disturbed. He headed back into Hogwarts. He had some planning to do. He also needed to speak to Potter as much as that galled him to say.

______________________________________________________ 

Severus quickly made his way to where he knew Potter and Granger were camping. Weasley had returned home last night. His mother had a yelling fit during an Order meeting about how he left Potter and Granger alone. 

Severus used a little Legilimency on the idiot and discovered the location. He didn't trust Weasley. Weasley had a big mouth and was to bigotted. He had little regard for the Know-It-All but Potter, well if he was honest, won some respect.

He saw the tent and waited until he was sure Granger was sleeping. Potter was sitting up reading. He had found an old potion that would allow him to see people no matter where they were. He slowly, quietly, approached the tent but stopped as Potter started moving toward him. 

Potter had his wand out. Severus was sure he didn't trigger any alarms or wards. He wanted to hit himself as he remembered that Potter would have used Parselmagic. He cast a sleep spell over Granger. "Potter, we need to speak with each other." 

"Snape?" Potter didn't lower his wand. Potter stopped moving but was still very alert.

"Yes, you dunderhead." Severus was impressed Potter didn't lower his wand or just let him. 

"What is the first question you asked me in my first class with you?" The wand was still in Potter's hand.

"What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?” Severus was impressed. He hadn't expected that question. 

The wand lowered and Potter stepped out of the tent. "Snape, what is wrong?"

"Everything. We are the ultimate of fools." Severus knew they couldn't have a fire going for the trackers would find Potter. "I need you and Granger to meet me back at Hogwarts. Use the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. Have Dobby send me a note when you arrive. Do not go into the main part of Hogwarts. I will meet you in the bathroom and we will discuss everything down there. It's vital." 

Potter looked back at the tent. He knew he couldn't apparate into Hogwarts. "Do you think Dobby could pop us into the Chamber? It's not under the wards."

Severus thought for several seconds. "I am not sure. I am the Headmaster but Dumbledore really warped the wards. I have had the goblins out working on fixing them, they have been working them without the Dark Lord's permission."

"Dobby!" 

Dobby appeared. "Master Harry Potter, sir, you called Dobby? What can Dobby do for Harry Potter?" 

"Dobby, can you bring us to the Chamber of Secrets below Hogwarts?" 

"Dobby find out." Dobby popped away and returned three seconds later. "Dobby can." 

"Wake up Granger, we have a lot of discuss." Severus removed the sleep spell.


	73. Chapter 73

Severus was escorted into a comfortable sitting room. The room was light, airy, and there were white lace curtains blowing as the windows were opened. The furniture was designed to be comfortable, it was all soft green cloth material for the couch, loveseat, and two matching chairs. The fireplace was on the far side and had some plants on the hearth. The tables were blond walnut. There was a china tea set on the long table in between the couch and two chairs. 

"Do take a seat, Mr. Snape." The voice belonged to an older woman. She was dressed in a lilac dress with black shoes. Her silver hair was pulled back into a bun. "Tea?"

"Yes, please." Severus sat down on the chair opposite the older woman. "Mrs. Walden, I was surprised to get your note." 

"Indeed. I asked you here to fill you in on a few facts." Mrs. Walden began to fix the tea. "Cream, sugar?"

"No, black." Severus wasn't sure why he was summoned here. He wasn't under the impression that it was for tea.

Once tea was served Mrs. Walden smiled slightly. "You know my son." 

"I do?"

"Yes, you know him as Doc."

Severus frowned a bit. He didn't think Doc came from such a good family. The house was bigger than Malfoy Manor. "I wasn't aware of Doc's background." He had thought that Doc came from a similar background he did and made a living working the clubs and pubs. 

"Yes, I heard about what you thought. You really set the fox in the hen house when you expressed it. Before you say anything, I should say that my son didn't inform me of the situation. My niece did."

"I see." Severus remembered the crowd of people in the pub when he expressed his displeasure with Doc. He inwardly flinched as he thought about what he had said. 

"There is much you don't see but you for the two biggest idiots so who knows what they had told you versus the rest of our world." Mrs. Walden stood up and walked to the windows. "My son bought me this house. We lived in a small flat in Liverpool by the docks. Seven of us in a one bedroom flat. My son made the money had has legally. My husband had a small business but he didn't have a mind for business. My Harry does." 

"Harry?" 

"Doc's real name." Mrs. Walden faced Severus. "I will tell you his full name after I am finished with my story. I'm aware you might have already connected the dots but you need to hear it all. Harry doesn't even know the whole story. He has never wanted to."

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Embracing his Inner Snake, a Parselmouth Snarrody](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11492349) by [drwritermom](https://archiveofourown.org/users/drwritermom/pseuds/drwritermom)
  * [Family Contract](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12713307) by [Genuka](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Genuka/pseuds/Genuka)




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